


You Play Me Like A Violin

by bewitched_blue



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), College, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Gay Sex, I specifically didn't put Lotor in this because I'm that bitch, Keith and Shiro are Siblings, Keith cries a lot, Keith has a troubled past, Keith is soft, Keith riding lance, Lance (Voltron) Being an Asshole, Lance fucked by Keith, M/M, POV Keith (Voltron), POV Lance (Voltron), Pining, Rivalry, Scars, Slow Burn, i need jesus, klance, orchestra AU, past suicide of friend, shallura - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2019-04-25 13:38:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 41,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14379768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bewitched_blue/pseuds/bewitched_blue
Summary: An AU in which Keith and Lance play in their college orchestra.





	1. Mezzo Piano Meets Fortissimo

**Author's Note:**

> Mezzo Piano - Moderately quiet 
> 
> Fortissimo - Very Loud

Keith padded into the orchestra room clutching his viola in it's case and unsure of where he was supposed to go.

It'd taken him half an hour to even find the room in the first place.

The room was large and had chairs formed into a semi circle all faced towards a podium in the front. The ceiling rose high and it smelled musty, the faint and comforting smell of broken rosin clouding the air. To his left was a small office that jutted out of the side of the classroom and he decided his best bet to find the teacher was in there. 

He was right.

When he walked into the office he was met with a turn in his chair by a man whose eyes seemed to scream "I LOVE ORCHESTRA!" He had bright orange hair that didn't seem natural, and it poked out near the back of his neck. But what really startled Keith was the man's mustache that was bushy and curled up with his lips. Keith was surprised even more when the man smiled brightly and chipperly said in a booming voice "OI! Hello there! You must be Keith then!" 

Keith smiled and said "Yeah that's me, nice to meet you Mr-rrrrr" Keith droned the "r" on realizing he didn't know his teacher's last name. He leaned backwards without moving his feet and tipped his head out the door to look at the plaque pasted by the door that read his name. Orchestra- Mr. Hieronymas Wimbleton Smythe the plaque beamed.

Keith faltered and then attempted to say his name. 

"Mr. High-rone-" The man placed a hand up and grinned, saving Keith from his troubles. "Please, call me Coran!" Keith smiled and shook his now outstretched hand "Nice to meet you Mr. Coran" 

Coran smiled back and then turned around and grabbed a small pamphlet off his desk "this 'ere is a list of all the events and concerts for this year, so be sure to clear your schedule on these days!" Keith took the pamphlet and opened it up, in it was a long list of event names and dates next to them. Most of the events had a star next to the event name. "Hey Mr. Coran, what are these stars for?" Coran's face suddenly looked like it remembered something "OH YEAH! The stars means it's mandatory and no star means's it's optional." That made sense, things like "Disney Concert at Children's Hospital" didn't have a star, optional, though Keith didn't have the heart not to. Things like "Opening Fall Concert" that was graded and done by all the orchestra members had a star next to it. 

Keith nodded and then Coran gave him another piece of paper. "This is just another backup information sheet, just in case I lose the first one, you can fill it out and then register for a locked area for your-"

Coran leaned down and eyed the size of the case "Viola?" Keith nodded and Coran smiled and said "knew that! Just testing ya!" 

Keith grinned and took a seat at one of the normal garbage plastic orchestra chairs. The one's on stage had cushions on them and a back that didn't rip out all your hair when you went to get up. Usually it wasn't so bad for typical guys, it was usually longer haired girls, but Keith didn't want to cut his hair any shorter and it became a problem for him also. Keith growled and mumbled to himself "I thought this school would've at least sprung for better chairs than these fucking scalp murderers." 

It was supposed to be quiet enough for just him to hear but in that moment he heard a loud laugh and flipped his head quickly, the chair tearing out a nice chunk of his charcoal hair. "OW! dammit" he exclaimed violently.

And then Keith noticed where the laugh had come from when the boy laughed again.

Keith stared up at a guy with caramel hair and skin, his tanned cheeks were brushed with freckles and painted pink. His eyes were shut tight and his mouth was stretched in a laughing gape. The boy was tall and pretty, Keith thought his skin looked smooth. When the boy opened his eyes Keith felt a wave crash over onto him, so blue, he thought. And the way he was standing right in the doorway with the hallway light beating on him made him seem like an angel. 

Then Keith came back to reality."I'm Lance" the boy said and stuck his hand out smiling. And Keith took it and shook "You know it's your fault for getting your hair always pulled in those things anyway." Keith let one of his eyebrows raise "why" he said plainly.Lance smiled "'cause you chose to be a mullet head" and then his face contorted trying to keep from laughing. 

Lance ended up failing and snorted and then snickered. Keith looked at him unammused and only said, voice rid of emotions "I'm Keith." Lance's smile returned and he stopped giggling. "Nice to meet you Keith." 

Keith smiled back up at him, maybe he'd have a fun time in orchestra this year.


	2. Measure 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Measure- A designated area where notes are harbored and is placed next to other measures.

Nope, Lance is an insufferable asshole, thought Keith. 

Keith who had just transferred colleges and was now attending Garrison University for his junior year, was no longer pumped to be. 

After finishing his paperwork and handing it to Coran, Keith signed up for a locked instrument cage to put his viola into. Lance had started with "what instrument do you play?" and then went to... "I play violin, I betcha my vibrato is better than yours! You know I don't wanna brag or nothin' but I ammm the first chair violinist, I bet you don't even know which string is the "e" string on my violin, 'cause you don't play one!" Lance was just trailing Keith as he blabbed and followed Keith out the room into the hall and to the instrument cages.

Keith sighed, this boy was annoying as hell, and would not stop bragging. So much for fun this year, he thought. Lance suddenly stopped talking and Keith turned and looked at him to see what was up, only to find a shocked wide eyed Lance looking at Keith's hand. 

"DUDE!" Lance's smile erupted across his face "OH DIOS MIO!" he started laughing. Keith noted that Lance spoke Spanish, and then frowned "what" he deadpanned. "A MULLET AND FINGERLESS GLOVES! OH MY GOD YOU'RE SO EDGY! don't tell me-" Lance paused to regain his composure putting up his hand in front of his face in a praying motion amd closing his eyes for a grumpy looking Keith. "You also have a cropped jacket." He finished, tilting his pray hands so they pointed at Keith and opening his eyes wide in a questioning manner. 

Keith turned bright red and then scowled getting more upset with the asshole he was presented with.

"OH MY LORD! YOU DO DON'T YOU!" Lance started howling in laughter, Keith didn't find it very funny. 

"OHHH ORCHESTRA IS GONNA BE SO MUCH FUN THIS YEAR NEWBIE!" Keith flipped around at the new nickname. "What'd you just call me?" Lance smirked "Newbie" he said plainly "I have a name and I told you it" Keith responded. Lance waved him off as if to show not caring "whatever" he simply said. Keith crossed his arms and huffed out "also, I'm a very respectable viola player that has played since the second grade, I am not a newbie." Lance only smirked and said "maybe, but you're still new to this orchestra and that makes you a newbie." Keith's patience diminished.

"OI LANCE ARE YOU BEING A DICK TO NEW STUDENTS AGAIN!?" 

Keith turned at the voice and saw a girl walking towards him and Lance, she was short with beige hair that poked out of the side of her neck and head. If not for the college building Keith was standing in currently he would've pegged her as a seventh grader. She wore a green jacket that hung low over her long khaki shorts and sneakers. Auburn sunset eyes peered through a pair of thin rimmed circular glasses that sat neatly on her nose which bore freckles. She was cute in a little sister kind of light. But what she lacked for in height, she made up for in sass.

"Lance, bitch, what the fuck, calm your ass, this poor guy was probably just minding his own business when you showed up and most likely started spewing bullshit into his ear" Keith smiled already enjoying this girl. Lance's jaw hung open and he dramatically pretended to be severely hurt. "Ummm 'KAY FIRST OF ALL!!-" The girl cut Lance off and instead continued lecturing him "Ummm FIRST OF ALLL!" she said mimicking him. "He was probably already lost trying to find this damn BUILDING THAT INS'T CONSPICUOUS AT ALL!" She said raising her voice for the last part. Apparently that was a thing previously mentioned because Coran stuck his head out his office and yelled back "I'VE TOLD YOU PIDGE FOR THE QUIZNACK'TH TIME WE ARE NOT MOVING THE BUILDING!" the aforementioned "Pidge" now huffed and then looked at Keith and said "am I right?" Diverting attention towards Keith now.

"Uhhh..." Suddenly at a loss for words, he noticed Lance smirk in his peripheral. "That was pretty accurate yeah" Keith smiled and Lance's smirk turned into a pout. The girl grinned and stuck out a hand "I'm Pidge" she said. "I'm Keith" he replied shaking her hand. "Lance, Hunk and I came to pick you up, he's in the car right now outside-oop nevermind" Pidge's course of words changed when she went to motion for outside and instead saw Hunk trudge into the music hallway.

Hunk was a large and average heighted guy who had milk chocolate for skin and dark for his hair and eyes. He wore an orange bandanna that had locks of dark hair spilling over it's edge. He also had on a yellow Letterman's jacket that had the word "Hunk" embroidered in white thread where a breast pocket would be. Keith was immediately reminded of a cinnamon roll.

"Hoh mI god" Hunk said when reaching them putting emphasis into the "I" and adding a "huh" sound to the beginning of oh. "It literally takes two seconds to get Lance, next time you stay in the car." Hunk said narrowing his eyes and pointing at Pidge who only pointed at Lance who pointed back at Pidge. Hunk sighed "Lance you don't even have your violin yet."

Hunk facepalmed.

Lance opened his mouth to say something, but it was Pidge who spoke. "I was saving a new student from Lance's asshole-ness" Pidge used as excuse. Hunk sighed and turned to the now shuffling awkward Keith, and stuck out a hand. "I'm Hunk, sorry bout Lance, he can be a real pain in the neck sometimes" Lance pretended to be shot. Pidge snorted. Keith shook Hunk's hand "I'm Keith" he said awkwardly for the fourth time this evening. 

"Lance, Pidge, and I were gonna go out to Applebee's for dinner, you're welcome to come with as an apology for dealing with Lance." Keith chuckled as Lance scoffed. 

"Thanks for the offer but I have to practice tonight." Hunk nodded, Lance chimed in "Brooooo, come onn your soo lame, we have time to practice all year, plus if you come you get more time to memorize this beautiful face." Lance made an "L" shape with his fingers and placed them on his chin and cheek, his cocky grin making his eyebrow turn upward in sync with the corner of his lip. He shifted his weight onto one leg, making one hip stick out further. 

Keith frowned at the fact of being called lame, "I'll pass" he said bluntly. Lance pouted as Hunk and Pidge laughed at him. 

"That's fine Keith, have a good rest of your night!-OH!" Hunk suddenly cutting himself off and almost giving Keith a heart attack. "What floor are you on? 5, 6, or 7? 'Cause you could be on the same floor as us!" The floors here were separated by Major once you were a junior and the music students all had sound proof rooms because of night practicing. It is one of the few college's that has them. Though with this, music majors who didn't care for practicing at night or had other musically involved jobs without instruments would rent their rooms out. It was soundproof and so it was a perfect room for intimate college couples. Also there were enough rooms to not have roommates

"6" Keith responded

"OH SHIT!" Pidge yelled, "we're on that floor! What room?" "45" Keith replied again. Pidge and Hunk shouted a yes and highfived a smiling Keith, Lance leaned over "I already knew I'd be living next to you, the room was empty and so I figured it'd be the newbie and so I came to introduce myself." Lance smiled

"What a great introduction" Keith stared at Lance, voice void of any emotion. "Sheesh grumpy" Lance smirked. 

Hunk shook his head "we should get going, have a nice night then Keith" he said for the second time. Lance ran over to the instrument cage and unlocked his, grabbing his violin "SEE YA NEWBIE!" Lance shouted, running to catch up, with a leaving Hunk and Pidge.

Keith scowled "oh boy, this year is gonna be overwhelming."

___________________________________

Keith stared at the clock positioned above his bed, it read 10:35. He had been practicing for 3 hours, Keith ran a hand down his face and decided he should probably get to bed. He started to pack up his viola, loosening his bow and wiping his strings. The strings made a loud gross squeak and Keith shivered, he hated when it did that. He started to fold up his wire stand when he heard a loud thud from outside his door. 

Keith set his stand down and cautiously went to open the front door, when he did a body fell at his feet. "AAAH!" Keith shouted, and then clamped a hand over his mouth remembering the time. He peered at the body that was smiling at him with wide eyes, once Keith figured out who it was, his face changed. "Get off me Lance" Keith tried to dump him off his feet but Lance was taller than Keith and it proved harder than he thought.

Lance still smiling got to his feet, "So newbie, I was thinking since tomorrow is the first day of classes and we're all best friends now you should come over and hang out for a bit!" 

Keith stared at the boy who called him lame and a newbie and had his answer in a second.

"No."

Lance frowned "fine, your loss" Keith sighed "Lance do you have any idea of what time it is?" Lance shrugged and then replied "uhhhh 9?" Keith smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Try 10:40" Lance's face didn't change "so" he only said. "Sooooo I've been practicing for 3 hours and I want to got to sleep." Keith grumbled. Lance raised his eyebrows in a curious manner "wait you were serious? You actually practiced for three hours?" Lance seemed impressed but it only stayed on his face for a second before being replaced with a cocky grin "hardcore newbie, you are one edgy edgelord" Keith scowled. 

"Goodbye Lance" Keith shut the door on a chuckling Cuban.

He walked back into his room and placed his things in the closet next to his bed. Keith flopped onto his bed and stared at the ceiling "it's okay Keith you'll be okay" he mumbled to himself drifting off to sleep.

___________________________________

"Keith, it's fine don't cry, boys don't cry. I'm fine, your fine." Keith woke up sweaty and sticky with these words ringing in his head. He sucked in a breath and willed away the tears stuck in the corner of his eyes. He looked at the clock on the nightstand "5:00 a.m" it shone brightly and stung his eyes. Keith realized he was still in his clothes and was lying atop the covers at an artless bend. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and decided he'd just get ready for class that was in another 4 hours.

He couldn't sleep anymore.

Keith walked into the bathroom and looked into the mirror, he looked like a wreck. His dark obsidian hair was sticking out at all different angles and bags hung low beneath his eyes. The neck of his shirt was dripping with sweat and he peeled it off, staring into the mirror at the sides of his torso. He sighed and then unglued himself from his jeans. After stripping he hopped into the bathtub and turned on the water, so it sprayed down from the shower head onto the sitting Keith.

He was sitting with his knees pulled up to his chest, and his head pressed down on them. Letting the hot water hit his head and then drip from there, it was nice. Keith stayed like that for 15 minutes before standing up and washing himself with soap.

Keith's shower lasted about 30 minutes, and when he was done, he wrapped his favorite red towel around himself and shuffled to his room to dress.

Keith pulled on a black high cut v-neck t-shirt, it had an artsy print of a lion on it with stars placed around it, making it seem as if the lion was swimming through space. "Edgy?" Keith muttered to himself "pshh he doesn't even know what that means." He pulled on a pair of black slim jeans and black socks. Then he walked back into the bathroom, Keith began to brush his hair and as he did so he tiredly rummaged around his drawers for a hair tie.

There was one around his wrist.

Keith smirked and then tied his hair into a sloppy ponytail with bits of his hair hanging around and framing his face. Keith brushed his teeth and then pulled on his black combat boots. One final touch, fingerless gloves.

Keith stood in front of the full length body mirror placed in his bedroom next to the dresser.

"I do look pretty edgy." Keith grumbled.

Keith didn't care though, "pff I don't have time for bs today" Keith grabbed his black messenger bag that held his laptop, notebooks, and writing utensils. He slung it over his neck and shoulder, Keith picked up his phone. "Zarkon, what's the temperature?" he spoke, remembering that he might want a coat depending.

His phone responded in a low gravely voice "today there will be a high of 75 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 68 degrees Fahrenheit" okay so not to cold Keith thought. "Is there anything else you need, Keith?" his phone continued. "No" he simply said and his phone shut off.

Just in case, Keith thought as he grabbed his cropped jacket from his closet not even thinking about Lance. Keith looked at his phone, 6:15 it blared brightly.

Keith decided he was going to practice for another 3 hours, what could it hurt? He thought, but he didn't want to practice in his room, it didn't feel homely at the moment. So instead he grabbed his viola, exited the room and started walking to the music building.

The music building had sound proof practice rooms and there he could practice with the sweet smell of rosin clinging to the air. Keith always loved the smell of rosin, how it smelled like cardboard with a sickly sweet tinge to it. Made him feel safe, orchestra made him feel safe, his viola made him feel safe. However these were things he kept to himself, he had an "edgy tough guy" image to keep clean.

As Keith walked down the hall, he bathed in the silence. How everyone was asleep and the lights were dimmed, he let a tiny smile break.

___________________________________

Keith finally got to the music building and was pulling his viola out of his case in one of the practice rooms. He picked it up and then placed music on the stand in front of him, but before he began that, he started his scales.

Cccccc

A half note rung out in the room, and the loud sound surprised Keith, as it had been so quiet a second ago. He pressed on.

Dddddd

Eeeeee

Ffffff

Gggggg

Aaaaaa

Bbbbbb

Cccccc

1 octave was fine, he thought, it was too early for anymore than that.

Keith shuffled nervously and then began practicing his piece, figuring he'd just begin it and see how far he'd get before needing to backtrack. His fingers flew gently over the fingerboard as the pads of them softly swayed with his vibrato. One of his toned arms, that he had worked hard to get, moving in sync with the bow as it glided over the strings in a soothing manner.

Keith's jacket lay on top of of his messenger back that sat on the floor next to the door, Keith finished the four page piece and then smiled happy over how he didn't make any large errors.

"Brooooooooo that was pathetic"

Keith flipped his head around, and was met with Lance who was now entering the practice room. Lance's cheeks were rosy and Keith figured he must've ran. Keith scowled "what?" he said darkly, Lance smirked and ignored his question altogether and instead just shrugged. Keith's blood boiled, but he didn't say anything. Keith started to pack up, he threw on his jacket and bag and then heard snickering.

Oh shit, the jacket Keith thought.

He turned around to face a dying Lance. Keith growled and then left the room. He put his viola into it's assigned instrument cage as Lance ran up to him. "Pfft, oh my God, I can't believe you actually Jesus, maldito guau eres increíble!" Lance speaking Spanish now and Keith wanting to die.

Lance smirked devilishly at Keith who only scowled at him.

"i'm done with you" Keith said.

Lance smirked "Oh trust me, this is just measure one in my fantastic piece."

Keith rolled his eyes into the back of his head.


	3. Circle Of Fifths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Circle Of Fifths - A clock like arrangement of the twelve pitches in order of the number of accidentals in the key signature.

Keith was in his last class of the day, Orchestra. After his run in with Lance this morning he went to his first class, Pidge was also in that class. So that class wasn't all boring, Keith stepped into the music building. It was now bustling with students, unlike this morning and yesterday evening. Keith got his viola and walked into the class.

"OI NEWBIE!" Lance's voice shot through the room, making 50 students turn their heads to look at him. Keith didn't like the attention and turned a bright shade of red. He wasn't someone that enjoyed the spotlight, despite being in the orchestra. As for Lance, he bathed in the attention. 

"GUY'S THIS IS THE NEWBIE WE WERE GETTIN'!" Lance shouted over the mass of students getting their instruments out. Keith saw Hunk sitting in a chair with a cello propped on his leg and he waved shyly at him. Pidge was standing in the back with a bass, Keith internally chuckled as he would never have paired Pidge with a bass. Lance waltzed over to Keith and put his elbow on his head resting on him. Keith shook him off.

"Lance! You didn't tell us he was HOT!" A girl with long blonde hair that she had in pigtails walked up to Keith and Lance. Keith blushed at her words and smiled nervously, he wasn't 'bout to have his first words to her be, "I'm gay". So instead he just smiled nervously and shook her hand. "I'm Keith" he said once more, he wasn't one for grand introductions.

"Aww Nyma! Lance pouted. "But your my babbby" Lance whined, Keith gagged in his mind. He heard Nyma say something along the lines of "yeah Lance, never in a million years." Keith smiled for some reason.

Keith didn't know where he was supposed to sit, until Nyma said "Keith, viola right? You sit next to me." Keith followed her to the seat he was given and then started to unpack. He sat in the middle right now, but he knew he could work hard enough to get a better seat.

Keith had his viola rested on his knee, bow in hand. Coran walked out and took a stand on the podium then he said "Thanks to all who came back for more this year!" A few students whooped, Lance included. "As some of you know, we were expecting a transfer" Keith's stomach sank, he hated this part. "Keith Kogane will be filling a seat in viola and I hope you make him feel welcome." A few kids looked at him and he smiled and waved. Lance smirked at how uncomfortable he looked.

"Can everyone start with a 'D'?" Coran said kicking off the beginning of class.

With scales and tuning finished, the next part was getting sheet music and then figuring out the first month's assignment. When music was passed out Coran began explaining the first assignment of the year.

"CHAMBER GROUPS!" He said excitedly.

A few people groaned, Keith looked over at a now grumpy looking Lance. He'd done chamber groups before, there were usually pretty easy and fun to do he didn't understand why people would be upset. Until Coran started speaking again.

"Now, I know in the past I've assigned the people in your groups, however-" A few kids perked up. "Since we had issues with abilities and pairings that didn't suit each other, I've decided to let you pick your own groups this year." Students cheered, it was like a 7th grade classroom.

"'Kay then, go find your groups, get music, and then practice. You can fan out in the practice rooms or in the hallway, only 5 people to a group!" Coran managed to finish while people started finding their friends.

Lance suddenly appeared "'cmon newbie, we got a piece to practice" Keith having no other choice just stood up and followed Lance sourly. He followed him into a practice room, where Pidge and Hunk already were.

"Told 'ya" Pidge smirked sticking her hand out as a grumpy looking hunk placed five bucks into it. Lance looked shocked "YOU PLACED A BET!?" Hunk smiled "on whether you pick Keith or Nyma."

"Nyma was already in a group" said a flushed Lance.

I was the second choice, Keith thought. Whatever you don't even know these people.

"So I was thinking we could play "Voltron by Takashi Shirogane" Pidge said breaking the silence."OOH I LOVE THAT PIECE!" Hunk exclaimed while Lance nodded with satisfactory. Keith smirked "that piece has a piano in it." He said matter-of-factly and Pidge nodded "Oh you're right, do you guys know anyone that plays? That could for us?" Keith continued smirking and only said "My brother does."

Keith pulled his phone out of his backpocket and called his older brother. He put it on speaker phone, "Keith? What's up man?" Shiro's voice rang clear through the room and everyone froze.

"Well we're doing a chamber group and my group members wanted to play "Voltron by Takashi Shirogane" ever heard of the guy?" Keith smiled and then heard Shiro laugh on the other end "maybe, name sounds familiar." He heard Shiro chuckle, "Yeah, so we needed someone to play piano for it and I was thinking maybe you could?" Shiro laughed again and then said "totally, just lemme know a place and a time and I'll be there, that it?" Keith smiled "that's it" and then he hung up.

"YOU'RE BROTHER IS TAKASHI SHIROGANE?!" Pidge practically screamed after the call cut off.

"Shiro is just fine" is all a smiling Keith said.

___________________________________

Seeing as there were five people in their group they decided they'd call it "The Circle Of The Fifths" as a funny reference to music theory.

After orchestra class was done, all of Keith's classes were done. He decided to go for a run and then maybe practice some more in his room. Keith started walking to the dorm building, viola in hand. Lance ran up to him, and Keith huffed "So Mr. Edgy Newbie ¿Quieres practicar juntos?" Keith stopped walking and looked at him, he raised an eyebrow "what?"

Lance smiled "wanna practice together?" he flicked Keith's ponytail.

Keith growled "why, so you can make fun of my practicing?" Lance frowned "bro if you're gonna be that way I guess I'll just go practice with the best viola player then." Lance smirked. Keith's brows scrunched "what do you mean by that?" "I mean like you're not first chair viola, and I guess that means you're not the best viola." Keith looked angrier the more Lance spoke. He turned on his heel and walked faster away from Lance.

"Oh I get it you're scared" Keith stopped in his tracks, without moving only said "I'm not scared." Scared of what? He thought.

"Fine, if you're so confident in your abilities take your instrument out right now and play something right in the middle of the courtyard" Lance smirked. Keith's eyes opened wide and he swallowed, now sweating. He couldn't back down, hating the spotlight or not, he couldn't not do it. Lance thought he was scared, and he was now, but he couldn't show it.

Keith turned around and unpacked his viola roughly. "Wait? You are actually gonna-Wow estoy impresionado. No puedo creer que realmente te importe tanto" Keith ignored the smooth Spanish rolling off Lance's tongue and placed his viola under his neck.

He looked Lance dead straight in his eyes and then started playing.

___________________________________

Lance watched as Keith started playing his viola and as he did he felt himself get fuzzy. Keith, the edgy new kid, who Lance had taken an infatuation with was now harshly tearing through his viola. However it was in a graceful manner that he sawed through his instrument with.

Lance watched the hot head's fingers, they were pale and Lance noticed remnants of black nail polish. He smiled, Keith's eyes were still looking at him and Lance was slowly melting away into Keith's dark pools that bore straight through Lance's head.

Lance noticed other people stop and stare at Keith with impressed faces as to how he was such an amazing violist. Lance suddenly felt very possessive, he didn't want other people to see Keith like this. Lance wanted to be the only one Keith played for, Lance blinded by unknown jealousy suddenly spoke.

"Okay Keith that's enough" Keith didn't stop and just continued staring at him. "I said that's enough Keith" Lance suddenly raising his voice a bit, he sounded enraged. Why did this bother him, he thought. Keith still didn't stop though and then Lance lost it "STOP I SAID!" He grabbed Keith's viola and in the process the fine tuners cut Keith's cheek.

Blood spilled down his cheek, people stared at the two in disbelief. Lance suddenly stopped aware of what he'd done. Keith just stood there in pure shock, blood still running.

"Keith, I'm so sorr-" "WHAT THE FUCK LANCE?!" Lance winced at Keith who was now flailing his arms in anger. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!" Keith grabbed his viola out of Lance's hand and shoved it into it's case. Lance didn't even know what to say, what did he want from him?

"Keith Im sorry I-" Lance started but Keith cut him off again "NO LANCE, IT'S BEEN TWO DAYS, TWO FUCKING DAYS! AND I'M ALREADY DONE WITH THIS!" Keith swiped his viola case and started walking away.

Lance just stood still not sure what to do.

___________________________________

"What the fuck is his problem, am I really that easy to pick on? He told me to play so I did and then all of a sudden he didn't want me to?" Keith was in his dorm room laying on his couch and obviously not giving a fuck.

He sat up and peered into the bathroom, on the sink was a razor, he stared at it silently. He put a hand up to his cheek, feeling the cut that was forming into a scar.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

Keith nearly fell off the couch at the sudden knock on his door. How long had he been on the couch anyway? He got up and walked over to the front door. When he opened it, he found Hunk with his cello on his back.

"Hey Keith, I texted you and you didn't respond so I came over, it's 4" The Circle Of The Fifths had decided to practice in Pidge's room at 4. Shiro would come 20 minutes later.

"SHIT!" Keith shouted running into his bedroom to grab his viola, he pulled on his boots and stumbled out the door to walk with a chuckling Hunk. Since their rooms were all pretty close, it was only a 2 minute skip. Once in the room Keith noticed Pidge's bass on the floor and sitting next to it was Pidge drinking Dr. Pepper from the can. Hunk sat his cello on the couch and then started to unpack it. Keith did the same with his viola, Lance walked out of the bathroom.

Keith turned around and scowled, Lance looked away. Keith heard another knock on the door and figured it was Shiro.

His guess was accurate.

Pidge let in the tall muscular guy, Shiro was carrying a travel keyboard. He smiled at Pidge who looked so excited to meet her hero."HIYA KEITHYBOY!" Shiro said embarrassing Keith with his childhood nickname. Keith braved a peek at Lance who was smirking, great new nicknames for him to abuse.

"Hi Shiro." Keith simply said, hugging his older brother. "Righty-O let's get started then", said Hunk from the couch. They took their places and then Shiro counted them off.

"1, 2, 3, 4, 1"

And it began, the music filling the room, strings pounding into each other and notes smoothing swallowing everything in it's path. Then it crashed, having it be their first practice as a group it was not as pretty as once would've hoped. Shiro was the one to stop them.

"Okay, uh...so the beginning was amazing, that's exactly what I wanted when I wrote this piece. However after that, uh..." Everyone laughed, they had a lot of practicing to do.

___________________________________

They had been practicing for 2 hours before Lance started whining and they decided to be done. How did he even get first chair, Keith thought. Pidge suggested they watch a movie, so she put in Harry Potter, The Goblet Of Fire. Shiro had to go home, because Allura was having a baby shower later this evening and he was supposed to make sure all her friends didn't run out of food.

"Tell Allura I say hi and tell the baby too!" Keith said to Shiro who said he'd make sure to. Keith didn't really want to stay and watch the movie because he was still a little pissed at Lance for earlier. However he really loved Harry Potter and he'd already denied going out with Hunk and Pidge once, he didn't want to make it seem like he hated them. Truth be told they were really cool and Keith was getting along with Pidge nicely.

Keith sat down on the floor, leaning back into the couch. Lance sat next to him, Keith huffed and hugged his knees to his chest. Lance seemed to be looking anywhere but at Keith. Then he finally whispered "I'm sorry for earlier Keith, I'm not sure what got into me." It was strange, Lance's apology because Keith saw only snark. Keith figured it was all a ploy, a joke.

"Lance doesn't care, no one cares about you Keith" Keith spun his head at Lance, but Lance was still looking at him sadly waiting for a response. Where were those words coming from.

"I-uh-I HAVE TO GO!" Keith suddenly stood up and ran out the room. He could hear Lance yell "WAIT!" But he just walked faster down the hall and into his room.

His room was dark and quiet, suffocatingly so. Something glistened in the corner of his eye and he turned to see what it was. Metal, a blade, a razor blade. "No, no, no, hell no, Keith you're fine. Nothing even happened to you, really you're fine." He muttered to himself, Keith was now sweating and he ran into his bedroom. He needed to get out, he pulled a pair of small running shorts on and a tank top, he grabbed tennis shoes and his earbuds. Keith ran back out, now dressed in active gear and almost ripped the door off it's hinges opening it. When he did, he found Lance on the other side.

"Keith are you okay?" Lance looked hurt, why did he look hurt. Keith was actually hurt! "I"M FINE!" growled Keith a little too loudly. He squished the earbuds into his ears and grabbed his phone, he needed to hear the sweet relaxing sound of an orchestra. The sound of strings always calmed him down and he needed it right now.

"KEITH!" Lance had grabbed Keith's wrist and yanked him back to face him. "What's wrong- wait" Keith looked at Lance, panic and anger zipping through his veins making him dizzy. "Keith, what the hell is this?" Lance's voice got sterner and this question wasn't formed in a questioning manner, this was a direct order to tell him.

Lance's hands slid around his waist and rubbed at the sides of his torso. Keith winced "Oh fucking hell" Keith looked down at Lance's hands and then at his eyes. He forgot the sides of this tank top were see through.

"Keith, I asked you a question" Lance stared at Keith and Keith looked down. "CONTESTA LA PREGUNTA MALDITA!" Keith pulled away from Lance's hands and took a step back.

"They're my scars."


	4. Pick A Tempo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tempo - The speed or pace at which the music goes by.

Keith woke up the next morning at 8:50 class was in ten.

"SHIT!"

Keith scrambled out of bed, he did not have time for a shower today. He pulled on some sweatpants and a sweatshirt, black of course. He threw his sticky hair into a bun and grabbed his laptop cramming it into his bag. Squashing his shoes onto his feet, he hopped awkwardly out into the hall. He held a poptart in between his teeth, and it looked like your average american dream movie where the kid is late for his bus. 

"Shit, shit, shit, shit" Keith cursed running down the halls, snarfing down his poptart an almost throwing up in the process. He pounded down the hall and whipped around the corner almost slamming into a group of girls.

"SORRY!" 

Keith got to class at 8:58, his bun was now a messy concoction straddling his head. He re-positioned it and slowed down to walk causally into class with the rest of the late comers. Keith breathed a sigh of relief as he slumped next to Pidge.

"You got here in time, I'm impressed." Pidge said not even looking at Keith, she did not look impressed in the slightest. Keith raised an eyebrow, and breathed out a "thanks."

Class began, the teacher was saying something but Keith wasn't listening. He was thinking about last night, last night Keith had panicked and gone to his room to change and then go for a run. But Lance, being the annoying stalker Keith was beginning to see him as, was there. Keith had accidentally put on a see through tank top, or at least the sides were. And Lance had seen them, references to the past, his scars. 

Keith shuddered, he did not want to tell this asshole his life stories. He did not need those to resurface, he did not need a repeat. Lance's face popped back into his head and Keith thought to himself.

His face is so warm and inviting though, so beautiful and smooth. He is trying, you're not, Keith tell him. Keith shook his head and leaned back on his seat.

"Be gone gay thoughts" He thought.

A giggle.

Keith opened his eyes.

A flourish of giggles, and then laughter.

Did he say that out loud? Fuck, Keith thought. He must've said it rather loudly because the professor was staring at him in a condescending way. Keith looked over and saw Pidge absolutely dying. Keith sighed and stopped thinking about Lance.

___________________________________

"Wait Keith are you gay then?" Keith smiled nervously at the question Hunk presented him with. The day had flown by and now it was orchestra, they were about to practice their chamber piece. When Pidge had brought up the mishap from earlier, urging Keith to say something about it.

"Uh...yeahh" Keith blushed and looked down. Lance started blushing too for some reason, Lance's eyes were wide and Keith just huffed. Homophobe he thought, he suddenly regretted everything.

"Oh cool, I'm actually pan and Lance is bi" Keith looked up with wide eyes, what?

Lance blushed deeper, "I'm ace by the way!" said Pidge inviting herself to the conversation. Keith smiled stiffly, still confused.

"RIGHT let's begin!" Hunk shouted. They all picked up their instruments, and Hunk counted them off. Keith closed his eyes to feel the music, but instead he got an image.

Lance.

He opened his eyes really fast, Lance was staring at him across the circle, Keith watched his slender fingers graze the fingerboard. Delicate caramel limbs rowing through the music. Keith watched how when the tempo picked up Lance's mouth would purse and he'd bite his lip. Keith fumbled, but caught himself, Lance was still staring at him and Keith closed his eyes again. He knew Lance was still looking at him, but he didn't want to look back. Lance was beautiful, but he was also an asshole. An asshole you've only known for 3 days, Keith you don't know anything about this guy. Not to mention you don't have time for distractions, and especially not beautiful, angelic, carved by God- AH KEITH STOP! Keith struck the wrong string and a horrible screeching sound ensued.

He stopped. Everyone stopped, Lance looked at him in question. "What's wrong Keith?" Pidge said, Lance chimed in smirking "what music too hard for you?" Keith scowled, that's right remember that Keith, he's an asshole.

"No, let's- sorry, just continue" 

"Okay" muttered a worry sounding Hunk making them begin again. Keith continued to make mistakes and Lance just kept laughing at him. This wasn't a good way to show how amazing he really was. But he only cared that Lance knew that, and Keith had shown that to him in the courtyard, so it didn't bother him as much.

Practice ended and Hunk walked up next to Keith "you know if there's anything you want to talk about, anything at all, my door is always open." He ruffled Keith's hair, ruining the already sagging bun. Keith smiled and muttered back "thanks Hunk." Hunk seemed to smile sadly, Keith didn't know what he had to be sad about. "Ciao Keith!" Called Pidge who started to Leave with Hunk.

Keith realized that it was only him and Lance now, nope. Getting out, he quickly packed up and was almost out the practice room door when Lance put a hand on his shoulder.

"Keith..."

Keith stopped, but didn't turn around.

"Hmm" he hummed trying to sound as annoyed as possible.

"You never told me what those scars were." Lance said voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't have to." Was Keith's response and he slid out from Lance's hand and walked away.

___________________________________

It had been 3 weeks since Coran gave them their orchestra assignment, and after weeks of practice the Circle Of The Fifths was finally ready. Having Shiro play piano was a blast, especially for Pidge who absolutely loved the guy. Tonight was their concert, you were supposed to change in the bathrooms in the music building so you didn't get dirt on it when walking over.

Keith walked in silence on the concrete path, it was dark out and stars lit the sky, a chill breeze blew onto Keith as fall was upon them. Keith always loved the night time, the serene and chill outdoors that was silent soothed his distorted thoughts and he breathed out a shaky breath.

Lance hadn't stopped asking about Keith's scars, and he didn't stop being a dick. Keith grunted, no, he thought, tonight is not about Lance. It is about how much hard work we put into this piece and how much we're gonna ace it.

He still thought about Lance though.

He arrived at the music building, it was crazy inside. People were running around frantically searching for rosin or a mute, rushing into bathroom's to change. It was hot, loud, and smelly, Keith hated it.

"Newbie chill, ¿Por qué estás respirando tan rápido?" Lance's voice, and then an arm. Placed on his head was Lance's elbow and Keith grunted. "What did you say?" "What do you mean newbie?" Lance smirked. "You said something in Spanish, what did you say?" Keith was so calm before he came in here, orchestra was doing things to him this year. "I said chill, why are you breathing so fast?" Keith hadn't noticed until Lance pointed it out. Keith stopped and Lance seemed to feel it through his elbow. "I have to change" Keith shuddered.

He walked into the bathroom, Lance needs to stop whatever the hell he's doing because I did not sign up for this. He sighed a sigh or relief when he found the bathroom empty. He pulled his shirt off and examined the scars running back and forth on his waist.

"There, because no one can see them there."

Keith shivered running his fingers slowly down his sides, he winced and drew back. Why does it still hurt?

"Keith, it's fine don't cry, boys don't cry. I'm fine, your fine. Keith, Keith, KEITH, STOP FUCKING CRYING!"

Keith stared at himself in the mirror.

"What a pathetic excuse for a man."

Keith suddenly heard the door to the bathroom open and he fled into the handicap stall. He heard someone walk in and Keith closed the door, he took his jeans off and let them make a puddle on the floor. Undid his hair and then threw his shirt on top of that, he looked at the floor, he saw feet, feet? Keith looked up.

"Lance?"

Lance stood in front of Keith and Keith looked at him dumbstruck "How the fuck-" Lance's fingers ran over his waist, so smooth, so delicate, so faint. Keith tried to back away but hit the wall. "Lance what are you-" Lance looked at him, tears just brimming his eyes.

He walked closer and Keith tried to move away to the side but Lance stuck his knee in between Keith's legs to stop him.

"Lance what the fuck-" Lance ran his fingers down the sides of Keith's torso and pressed on the scar, when he did that Keith shook. "Nnn" he whined in pain, Lance drew back at the sudden sound and when he did his knee went upwards. Keith moaned "Aahhmnng" he clamped a hand over his mouth, eyes wide. Lance took a few steps back and looked at him in shock, Keith just stood there wearing only his boxers. Lance and Keith both looking like a very ripe tomato.

"Keith where did you get those scars?" Lance finally spoke, still red but looking at him full in the eye.

"LANCE! WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL!? WHY WOULD I TELL YOU AFTER THAT!?" Keith screamed, he'd had enough of this guy.

"KEITH TELL ME!" Lance screamed back, tears sheen on his eyes.

Tell him, tell him, tell him, tell, him, TELL HIM! Keith's mind went crazy so instead he shouted.

I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU SHIT, YOU'RE NOT MY BOYFRIEND!"

Lance's emotions melted off his face, he just stood there staring at him, and then tears. Streaming down still Lance's cheek.

Keith was panicking, he had no idea what to do. So he put his pants and dress shirt on and ran out of the bathroom.

Hunk ran up to him, "KEITH WE GO ON STAGE IN 2 MINUTES, WHERE WERE YOU? WE NEED TO FIND LANCE!" Lance walked out of the bathroom and Hunk turned his focus towards him. "LANCE WE GO ON IN 2 LET'S GO!" Hunk ran away to grab his cello.

Lance had wiped the tears away and smoothed his hair out. He looked stunning, Keith did not, he looked like he'd just thrown up, and now he felt like he would.

Coran called out through the room "CIRCLE OF THE FIFTHS!" Keith walked through the crowd and found Hunk, Pidge, and Shiro, Lance was close behind. Keith unpacked his viola swiftly and then nodded to Shiro, who nodded back. They opened the doors and walked into the on deck area. Hunk was jittering, Pidge looked cool, Shiro's looked calm, Lance was holding back tears, and Keith was about ready to puke.

"Ready to kick some ass guys?" Shiro turned and smiled at the group.

Keith bit his lip.

No

"Yes."

They heard the crowd cheer, waited for it to be done and then Shiro opened the doors.

The light was blinding, Keith blinked widely and walked onto the stage, limbs shaking. They took their places, Hunk looked at them and nodded, 1,2,3,4,1 he seemed to say. It began.

Music is a magical thing, it produces and conveys things that don't correlate at all. Flavors, colors, people, emotions, all these are different with every person. However it is the player who feels the most, who sees the most, who tastes the most, when music is played.

Hunk, he saw cinnamon rolls, he saw yellow, he saw an old friend called Shay, he saw happiness.

Pidge, she saw pizza, she saw green, she saw her older brother Matt, she saw determination.

Shiro, he saw chicken and rice, he saw black, he saw his wife Allura, he saw luckyness.

Lance, he saw tamales, he saw blue, he saw a person that he wasn't sure of his relationship with, Keith, he saw confusion.

Keith, he saw sushi, he saw red, he saw the person he didn't want to see, Lance, he saw terror.

In all of this it is easy to say that things aren't always as they seem. As the room filled up with the resonating sounds of Pidge's bass and Hunk's cello, as Shiro's piano lulled the audience into a daze. Was the same time Keith and Lance fought with each other through their music. Strife pierced through the thick air fastened to the tips of their bows. As the sounds of their souls being poured into the music made the two boys hazy.

Then it stopped.

The song was done, and it was done perfectly.

Keith was sweating, Lance was sweating, but they both smiled. Even though not even ten minutes ago Keith was pressed up against a wall being yelled at by Lance. Even though not even ten minutes ago Lance was yelling at a shaking Keith. Even though not even ten minutes ago both boys embarrassed themselves and completely confused themselves. Even though not even ten minutes ago Keith wanted to puke and Lance wanted to die. Even though not even ten minutes ago Keith had hurt Lance without realizing it. Even though not even ten minutes ago Lance had crossed Keith's boundaries. Even though both boys were confused and both boys didn't know what they were doing. They smiled because for once in their lives, Keith had seen blue, and Lance had seen red.

___________________________________

"DRINKS!" Shouted Pidge after they got off stage. Lance shook his head, but he was smiling "dios mio siempre quieres bebidas, you always want drinks after these kinda things."

"It's 'cause we deserve them bitch, that was the most awesome performance yet!" Pidge responded giddy, she stuck her tongue out at Lance and Lance stuck his at her. Keith smiled, Lance noticed.

"Look the newbie has a soul" Lance ruffled his hair. Keith scowled but a smile pulled on his lips. Okay you win Lance, you win, you got me, Keith thought.

Shiro hugged Keith's head practically suffocating him, "you know I think that'd be fun, I'm down." He said in response to Pidge's earlier exclamation. "Besides this ball of angst needs to unwind" he said squeezing his arms around Keith's head once, twice.

"Mmmmf" said the angry ball of angst.

___________________________________

"IF YOU LOVE ME LET ME GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Shouted Lance after many a drinks. Keith sighed, he was never one for drinking that much. He held a bottle of beer, only a quarter of it gone.

"Lance you're the one holding me" Keith responded with Lance latched onto his arm. Lance was red as a tomato and he stuck his lip out. "Hmm" he hummed and then squished his face into Keith's shoulder.

Keith sighed again, Lance was slowly slipping under his skin. He'd only known this boy for a month now and as much as Keith didn't want to admit it this guy was something to him now. What he was exactly to him, Keith wasn't sure yet, but he knew it was something.

Lance sat up and looked at Keith, he blinked slowly and Keith blushed a crimson. "Hey neewwbiie" Lance's voice was a roller coaster, it swayed up and down. Keith looked at him and felt something start to slip, his conscious? "Aree you surree you're froom Koreea?" Keith stared at him contently, "pretty sure" he said slightly entertained by drunk Lance. "Hmmm noooo, I don't think you're from thereee" Lance smiled and played with a tassle on the blanket over the couch they sat on. Keith laughed "well if I'm not Korean what am I then?" "Beautiful" Lance didn't miss a beat. Keith's eyes grew so large you would've thought they were grapefruits. He blushed a dark shade of red, calm down Keith, he's drunk, he doesn't know what he's saying. Another voice, Keith this is Lance we are talking about, you feel nothing for the asshole.

You feel nothing.

"You feel nothing."

Lance smiled at Keith and then brought a hand up to his face cupping his cheek. "I'm right" he said as if stating fact. Keith smiled but it was filled with sorrow.

___________________________________

The next morning was Saturday, no classes, which was hella convenient for the Circle Of The Fifths because four out the five were not having the best morning.

Keith was not one of them.

He slid out of bed and walked into the bathroom to take a shower. He stripped and got in, and turned the temperature up almost all the way. Keith tilted his face up so all the water hit it and then fell down into his hair which hung in his face and stuck to his forehead. "I should cut my hair" he said aloud to himself. "No you should not." Another voice. Keith nearly died "WHO'S THERE!" He moved the curtain back and saw no one. Keith, you're going crazy.

"No you should not."

"Should I tell Shiro about this then?" "No you should not."

Keith breathed a sigh of relief, it's all in your head. He's not here, you're okay, he's gone. Keith subconsciously put a hand to his side.

"There, on your waist" "Why?" "There, because no one can see them there." "Okay."

Keith you innocent sack of potatoes, he thought. Keith stepped out of the shower, "I should go for a run."

"No you should not."

___________________________________

Keith ran around the park once, he decided to go around one more time but then he saw Lance. Sitting in a coffee shop, peering out the window of it like he was in a K drama.

Keith started running over there, suddenly he wanted coffee.

He walked into the coffee shop and looked at the menu. He had never been here before, every thing had a really cheesy name. Things like "Twice Chocolate Tizzy" or "Krazy Chocolate Kerfuffle." He never under understood places that did that, you don't want to say it, the barista doesn't want to say it. Just give me straight black coffee, but of course this was totally Lance's cup of tea, well, coffee.

"Hi can I just get straight black coffee."

Keith once went out for coffee with Shiro and instead of ordering a straight black coffee he ordered him a "gay black coffee." Keith had just died of cringing when Shiro tried to explain the joke to the obviously annoyed 17 year old girl. Keith didn't get coffee with him anymore.

"Coming right up hot stuff" said the obviously in highschool girl. Keith sighed, I'm not even hot, he thought to himself as she poured his drink. Apparently she felt the need to ask his name even though he only ordered black coffee. "Keith" he muttered "but you don't have to do the thing-" "KEITH!" She giggled and handed him his drink.

Keith scowled and then noticed Lance looking at him with an innocent face. "I'm screwed" he said audibly. He walked over to Lance and took a seat across from him.

"Newbie, I didn't know you came here!" Lance smirked.

"I don't" Keith said bluntly.

Lance smiled "then what brings you here?"

The way that Lance was acting around Keith made him uncomfortable, like nothing had ever happened between the two. Keith was just waiting for Lance to say something like "tell me about your scars" or give an explanation of what went down in the bathroom yesterday. He wanted Lance to remember what he said when he was drunk, but he didn't think that was an option.

Lance was beautiful, and Keith was gay.

Two things that thrown into a pot equal a mess. And Keith was swimming in that mess, bathing in that mess.

It wasn't just Lance's face that wowed Keith though, everything about him made him want to just thrown himself off a building.

Keith knew this feeling, he felt the thing slip again. But he knew what it was this time, his walls.

Lance asked him again "Keith, why are you here then?" Keith smiled.

"Pick a tempo"

"What?" Lance asked confused.

"Fast or slow?"

"Uh...Slow...I guess"

Keith smiled again.

"Here's what the story is behind my scars."


	5. Half Step Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Half Step - The smallest interval between two notes.

December 4th 200X

Winter had arrived and snow was fresh on the ground like powdered sugar sprinkled over the city. Keith was thirteen years old, young but not little. Everyday Keith would walk to school with his older brother Shiro.

Keith and Shiro were very close, and Shiro who was seventeen would throw snowballs at him. Shiro whined all the time, about walking and about wanting a car, but they were too poor for that.

Keith didn't hate or like school in any way particularly. There were plenty of people who called him the f slur or shamed him for liking guys, he didn't let it bother him. He didn't have that many friends, but he didn't mind, he had his viola and that was all he needed. It was on December 4th however that Keith met the new kid.

He was from a different state and when his dad got a new job he moved with him. At first Keith paid no mind to him, but when the boy asked him if he could sit with him at lunch one day, Keith didn't say no. 

From that day on they were inseparable, and from that day on Keith had his first serious crush.

The boy's name was Legend and he really was one at that, though not a legend people looked up to. 

Legend had eyes made of gold, and skin of pearl, but a heart of stone.

Legend came weighed down by past issues and sorrow and he projected them onto Keith. Legend never had much of a childhood, Keith neither but he at least had Shiro. 

One day Keith went over to Legend's house, they were supposed to be playing video games but then Legend stood up and walked into the bathroom. Keith wouldn't have thought anything of it, but then he saw the door was still open.

"Legend, what are you doing in there?" Keith stood up and walked over.

Legend sat on the toilet seat, his shirt was off and on the floor. He held a scroungy razor in his hand, blood dripped from it. Legend's waist was ruined and scars bled down the sides of his body. He didn't move he just stared blankly at Keith, no tears, just unmoved golden eyes.

"Legend... WHAT THE HELL!? WHAT IS THIS!? WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Keith freaked out.

"Bro, calm down, it's just something that helps me relax. Makes you feel things, gets frustration out." Legend seemed unwavered. Keith just stared at him, mouth hanging open. "Haven't you ever been pissed at all the people who think they know you? Don't you ever want to just wash away what they say? Keith knew what he meant, but he didn't say anything.

"Come here." Legend ushered him over.

Keith walked over subconsciously.

Get out, get out, get out, get out, get the fuck out. His brain going haywire.

"Try it?" Legend asked handing him the razor.

No. 

Keith took the razor and stuck his shaking arm out. Why was he doing this? Oh right 'cause he liked him. Legend was his friend, he could trust him, Legend was helping him. Legend was there for him it'd be fine.

"Keith no, do it on your waist."

"What?"

"There, on your waist"

"Why?" 

"There, because no one can see them there." 

"Okay."

Keith shook as he stripped his t-shirt off, Legend looked at him at closed his lids half way waiting, expecting.

Keith guided a shaking hand to his waist and swiped, it hurt, but not as much as he thought. A thin line of blood spilled out and tears formed in Keith's eyes. 

One drop, two drop, red drop, blue drop.

Blood and tears, cascading.

"Keith, it's fine don't cry, boys don't cry. I'm fine, your fine. Keith, Keith, KEITH, STOP FUCKING CRYING!"

Keith flipped his head around and stared through tears at Legend who's face elicited regret. "I'm sorry, your really gonna hate me after this." Legend lunged forward and smashed his lips onto Keith's, lips rough and wild Keith almost choked from sudden impact. 

This was Keith's first kiss, and it was not how he expected it, it was not warm. It was not with happiness, it was not romantic. It was driven by lust, it was clouded with sorrow, it was blinded by sad truths.

Legend didn't stop, he just pressed farther into Keith who fell into the bathtub with a loud thump. Legends tongue pressed on Keith's lip as if knocking on a door, asking "can I come in." And then when the door opens having them bolt into your house and break all your belongings. Crashing and discovering new places, licking and biting and eating Keith from the inside out. 

Legend finally pulled away, his and Keith's blood mixed and stained their bare chests. Keith's tears stuck to their lips, and gold and black eyes looked at each other so strained that they melded together. Keith breathed first, exhaling shakily and then Legend spoke.

"You didn't push me away." 

"I didn't." Keith responded within a two second time frame.

"Why?" Legend looked at Keith so innocently it was very hard to believe that he was the same guy Keith spoke to a minute ago.

"Because I like you." Keith smiled with his swollen lips and his puffy eyes crinkled.

Legend hugged him tightly and for a minute everything was perfect, but only for a minute.

Keith touched his side cautiously, it heard so bad. He winced dramatically and Legend scowled "Hey don't worry, it gets better the more you do it." Keith was doing it again? He didn't want to, why would he do that?

"For me?"

Legend smiled and cupped Keith's face and Keith fell into his trap.

"For you." he smiled back.

Legend wasted no time, evenings were now filled with blood, tears, and kisses. Legend and him would cut their sides until Legend said it no longer hurt, and then he'd pick up a shaking Keith and make out with him 'till Shiro came to pick him up. Everything was a secret, they kept it from classmates, friends, and even Shiro.

Shiro however didn't notice a thing, he was too focused on his own crush to see Keith's destructive new boyfriend.

A year passed and Keith became a high schooler. Him and Legend were still going strong, and Keith still didn't see how toxic he was. He was blinded by the thoughts of love.

Legend took this new milestone and decided he'd put a milestone in his and Keith's relationship. I mean they were 14, they were practically adults.

It was 9 p.m and outside was already dark, they sat in the living room on the couch. Legend's father was at work and only Legend and Keith breathed in the house.

"Keith take off your shirt." Legend breathed into Keith's ear.

Keith paused "Legend, we're not in the bathroom we'll get blood on the couch." That's a creepy thing to say, thought Keith but he brushed it off. Legend was right, you forget about the pain when you do it more.

"No Keith, we're doing something else." Legend walked closer.

"Okaaay" Keith responded a bit warily taking off his shirt. What is he up to?

"Keith, can I touch you?" Legend was now leaning over Keith, who's back was pressed into the sofa where they were sitting peacefully on a minute a go. Keith was slowly getting turned on and wanted to kiss Legend but now there was a party down south and Legend's question only prodded it.

"What do you mean, yeah you're my boyfriend-aaahhmm" Keith was cut off by his own moans when Legend reached back and ran his hand over Keith's pants, pressing down gently.

"Keith, baby, I love you" Legend bit Keith's ear while stroking him through his pants.

Keith shivered. Stop, you're fourteen! His brain shouted at him but he ignored it, Legend had just said he loved him.

"I love you too." Keith leaned forward and kissed Legend, mouths wet and tangling together. Keith shivered as Legend continued massaging.

"Legend I've never-hnng! done anything, so I'm not gonna-HHnnng! Last very LONG!" Keith shook, and he was right he didn't last very long. He came straight through his pants and Legend laughed.

"I didn't even touch you properly!" He smiled and leaned down to kiss Keith.

Keith blushed and turned away embarrassed beyond a returning point. Keith looked back at Legend and saw him staring at Keith's naked wast, he peered down at his old scars mixed with fresh ones. Legend put one hand on the scar, and pulled back when Keith recoiled in pain.

"It's infected."

"What?" Asked Keith only half paying attention.

"It's infected." Was all Legend said.

"Wait WHAT!?" Keith shot up, which was stupid as it hurt so bad to, with wide eyes Keith looked at it.

"It's infected." Legend said again, not knowing what to say. He didn't mean for this to happen, if he told someone they'd get fake pity and most likely counseling. If they didn't Keith could get sick and possibly worse. He really did love Keith, he just didn't know how to love.

"Should I tell Shiro about this then?"

"No you should not."

"WAIT WHY!?" Keith was panicking, Legend knew that when Keith panicked something bad would ensue.

"Keith calm down, I have anti-bacterial that I used when I got an infection and I was fine. Here c'mere." Keith followed Legend into the bathroom where Legend took a bottle out from the cupboards under the sink.

"Hold still." Legend muttered pouring some onto a tissue and then dabbing at Keith's waist.

It stung and Keith twitched, it burned his insides and Keith cried for the first time in what seemed like years. "Don't cry Keith, you're a boy." Legend whispered running his fingers through Keith's raven locks.

Keith whimpered and tried to be quiet but he couldn't stop crying. Legend sighed, "Shiro will be here in a few, don't tell him anything. I love you." Legend kissed Keith and Keith didn't say anything only pulled his shirt on and wiped his face off.

He stood in front of the mirror and looked at himself, he was short. Short and skinny, but Legend had introduced him to weight lifting and now he had a bit more muscle.

Legend stood tall, or at least taller than Keith, his dirty blonde hair hung jaggedly over his eyes. His pale skin just a bit tanner than Keith's, but his eyes were his best feature. Golden like a summer's sunset, with flecks of orange peppering the outer rim of his eyes.

He was beautiful, but in his eyes also swam his horrid past and regrets, his life long issues and lack of human interaction.

He walked up behind Keith and placed his head on Keith's shoulder.

"You're okay."

"I'm okay."

Keith should've been the one to tell Legend that not vice versa.

When Shiro arrived Keith made sure he didn't look like he'd just been crying. But his mouth didn't abide by those rules.

"Shiro, why can't boys cry?" Keith said as they drove home, Shiro pulled over. "What? Where'd you hear that?" Shiro's protective older brother mode activated.

No one.

"Legend" Good going Keith, he screamed in his head. Shiro sighed "Keith, boys can cry if they feel like it, there's no law stating they can't. Anybody telling you otherwise is just insecure."

"Oh." Was all Keith said in response.

Shiro leaned forward "Hey, listen if you need to talk about-" Shiro's face changed "Is that a bite mark on your ear?" Keith's eyes went wide, Legend must've bit down too hard. "Uhhh...no I accidentally caught my ear on something at Legend's and it bruised like that."

What the hell, that was a terrible excuse.

"Oh." Shiro breathed a sigh of relief. Wait, that worked!? Keith thought.

Then again what was Shiro supposed to say? "Ummm noo I think it's actually from the boy who you hang out with and that you guys fucked." Shiro would never say something like that.

Keith smiled shyly "yeah." Shiro looked away and then started the car again and drove off into the night, back home.

Keith went to Legend's house every day, Shiro knew he was gay by now and would sometimes make jokes about them. To which Keith would awkwardly laugh back and try to brush off. He wanted to tell Shiro they were dating, he wanted to tell Shiro everything but Legend said not to. As much as he loved Shiro, he was also in love with Legend and it tore him up.

Keith had to stop cutting while his homemade "treatment" on his infection was being done. But he promised Legend that when It was fixed he do it again with him, "For you."

The infection didn't get any better, in fact in just got worse and Keith hurt all day. School was a nightmare, constant worry that he'd get bumped and accidentally whimper. Legend knew it got worse, Keith did not.

"Keith, forgive me I'm so selfish. Legend muttered one day in the middle of a make out session. Keith thought nothing of it, "damn right." He said kissing him back not knowing at all what he was saying. It was like swimming in ice cubes. It was Cold and burned your skin but it was also exhilarating and made you feel alive.

Keith went home that night feeling empty, that was usual. Usually he felt like bugs were eating him from the inside and he would just collapse, a shell of someone who once was human. Tonight however he felt especially hollow, he felt tears on his face and got out of bed, he walked into his brother's room clutching his pillow to his chest. The clock next to Shiro's bed beaming 4:00 a.m.

"Shiro" His voice came out whiny and sounded small, Keith hated it.

This was stupid, he was being dumb and he needed to get out, he sounded like he was 4 never mind what he looked like. He turned around and was about to leave when he heard Shiro's tired voice.

"Keith? What's up man?"

Keith breathed out loudly and walked over "I can't sleep, can I sleep with you?" Shiro smiled.

"Well first of all let's get you out of that sweaty t-shirt" Shiro said softly getting out of bed to get one of his to put on him. "Hmm." Hummed Keith, too tired to think properly, he took his shirt off. Shiro walked over to Keith who was now kneeling on Shiro's bed shirtless. "Here-" Shiro dropped the shirt and stared at Keith eyes wide.

"Keith" Shiro's words were shaking.

"Hmm?" Hummed Keith still not entirely there.

"Your sides" Shiro's voice was shaking even more, and then Keith finally woke. Eyes wide Keith looked at him, breath increasing rapidly.

"Please tell me you got in a fight." Shiro was crying now and Keith's heart broke. Keith looked down at himself and finally realized how bad it was.

Scars ran up from his belly button and crisscrossed past each other, as if it were streams of traffic colliding like spaghetti. Keith finally realized how bad it was, how bad the thing he'd done was.

"Please tell me you got in a fight." Shiro said again, tears flooding Shiro's perfect face. But Shiro knew that they were too big to be from a freshman fight. Shiro had friends who had done this, it wasn't pretty and it didn't end pretty.

"KEITH WHY!?" Shiro whisper shouted through the dark room. Keith felt hot tears run down his cheeks, he muttered one word.

"Legend." Keith was shaking and now sobbing as he breathed heavily, Shiro pulled him into a hug that morphed into a hold. "It's okay Keith, It's okay, you're safe with me, you can cry." Keith just shook, but he felt something lift off of him by telling Shiro.

When Keith calmed down Shiro said "Okay now tell me everything." And Keith did, he told him everything, EVERYTHING.

Keith thoroughly embarrassed by the time he was done just sat there silent waiting for Shiro to say something. Then he did.

"Get up, we're going to the hospital, how long has it been infected?" Shiro looked upset but mostly sad. The ultimate 'i'm not even angry, just dissapointed' soccer mom face shining brightly on his face.

"What!? At 4:30 in the morning!?" Keith whisper shouted back.

"Yes, how long has it been infected?" Shiro repeated.

"3 months" Keith whispered in regret.

"WHAT!?" Shiro scrambled out of bed and changed his pants. He grabbed Keith and forced shoes and a coat on him. Dashing out of the house, Shiro clambered into the car and shoved a terrified Keith into the passenger's seat.

"Wait! Shiro stop! Legend said I couldn't get help or something bad will happen." Shiro had a face of utter rage and confusion melded into one, "If he loves you, this won't affect anything!"

Keith nervously sat with his hands folded in his lap and head down, as if he was praying, the whole way to the hospital.

Once there it was all a blur, Shiro talking to different people, Keith being told to go into rooms.

It wasn't until an hour later when Keith spoke to someone again. He was in a hospital bed, hooked up to every machine imaginable. Shiro walked into his room, "you have a pretty bad infection, but you'll be okay." Shiro looked very hurt, Keith breathed a sigh of relief. "You should have told me at the beginning."

"I know...I'm sorry." Keith looked at Shiro and Shiro shook his head and then smiled, he walked over and hugged Keith.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid." Shiro repeated as Keith giggled. It wasn't funny in the slightest, they should not have been smiling, but they were because Keith would be okay.

Keith woke up the next morning and decided to call Legend, even though Shiro kinda wanted to rip out his throat.

"Hello Legend." Keith's voice trembled but Shiro was right next to him, hand on his shoulder urging him to do this.

"Hey baby what's up?" His voice bounced on the other end, full of life. His dad must be home.

"I'm in the hospital." Keith heard only breathing. He continued "Shiro knows-"

"What a pathetic excuse for a man." Legend's voice was cold.

"What!?" Keith was confused and fear trembled in his voice.

The phone hung up, and that was the last thing Keith heard Legend say.

Keith held the phone to his ear still and screamed into it "Legend, Legend, LEGEND!?" Keith was panicking again. Shiro leaned over, "What's wrong?" soothing big brother voice cutting through the thick air that suffocated Keith.

"Keith calm down, go to sleep and everything will be okay when you wake up.

No it won't, thought Keith but he fell asleep anyway.

*Ding*

Keith woke up.

A text from Legend.

L: This is Legend's father, I know you probably don't want to find out this way. But this is the only way. Turn on the T.V.

Turn on the T.V?

What was Legend's dad doing texting Keith on Legend's phone, what was on the T.V?

Keith tapped Shiro who looked up from his phone and pointed to the text message. Shiro looked worriedly at Keith, he picked up the T.V remote and turned it on.

"And now, the tragic story of a boy's suicide. How to know when things are escalating and how to prevent that. Today just 5 hours ago, a fourteen year old boy by the name of Legend Stanford committed suicide. His dad wants people to be aware of the signs so that it doesn't happen to them."

Legend's dad popped up on the T.V and Keith turned it off.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, NOOOO!" Keith started sobbing and Shiro held him like a baby rocking him back and forth between his arms. "HIS DAD WASN'T EVEN THERE! WHY IS HE ACTING LIKE HE SAW THE SIGNS! WHY IS HE ACTING LIKE HE WAS HURT!? THIS IS MY FAULT! I SHOULDN'T HAVE-" Keith broke off into more sobs and Shiro cooed at him.

"I know Keith, I know, I'm sorry." Shiro whispered almost crying himself.

"I LOVE HIM!" Keith thrashed in Shiro's arms.

"I know, I know Keith." Shiro softly said, keeping his grip on Keith.

Keith returned home 2 days later infection slowing. Keith laid in bed, tired from crying constantly and getting no sleep. He stared at his viola across the room that he hadn't practiced at home since the whole thing began.

Keith crawled out of bed and picked it up out of it's case, it was horribly out of tune and Keith winced at the sound of it. He tuned it, and remembered one time when he was at school before he and Legend were dating he had played Legend something.

The way his golden eyes had stared at him and pierced his soul, and Keith started playing that song. He played the song on his viola that Legend had loved so much and he cried, he cried hot tears that slid onto his viola and ruined it's shimmer.

He didn't care though, he didn't care even when he saw Shiro outside his room through the crack in his door. Shocked to hear the viola again, but proud to see that he was.

And on that day Keith vowed to practice every day, he'd become the best violist, for Legend.

"For me?"

"For you."


	6. Whole Step Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whole Step- An interval using two half steps.

Keith walked into the orchestra room before everyone else this time, he opened his instrument case up. He watched people flood in, more and more people coming into the room. They smiled and chatted with each other, outside of these rooms they went back to their separate groups. 

That was one thing Keith liked about orchestra, how even the most different of people came together like a family. 

A family, Keith smiled.

"Maldita sea que eres muy lindo cuando sonríes." 

Keith looked upward to find Lance sitting in the chair in front of him backwards. When Keith had looked up however Lance was closer than he realized and he stuttered out a "wha-at?" His voice cracked slightly and Keith mentally cursed himself.

Lance smirked "nevermind." Lance blushed, and then Keith blushed.

Pidge walked over "God, I'm gonna be in the middle of this huh?" Lance and Keith turned to face her "Huh?!" They both said in unison, "oh nothing, nothing." Pidge waved it off and smirked as she walked over to her bass.

Lance winked at Keith and took his seat, Keith blushed brighter. 

Nope, don't do it Keith, don't you dare. 

Coran took a stand at the front of the room, "attention students, as you know every year we have the opportunity for your chamber groups to compete in a competition and possibly represent our college. It is optional, but those who do it will be greatly benefited. If you are interested in qualifying I have papers on the stand.

Coran gestured to a stand by the door holding a stack of information pamphlets. A few people nodded in acknowledgement.

A chamber group competition? We should do it, i'd be cool to qualify. I'd get to spend more time with Lance, no! Keith was mentally fighting himself. This is about representing your school not fantasizing over some friend.

Keith was in denial.

After class practice Lance came up to him "we entering that competition right?"

Keith smirked "it's a given." Lance smirked back quirking an eyebrow.

___________________________________

The Circle Of The Fifths was back up and running, Pidge called Shiro and he said they could practice at his place. Would give them a chance to meet Allura anyway, so that evening Shiro came to the school and they piled into his truck.

"WAIT! Ah I forgot my music folder back in my room." Keith suddenly yelped when he got in the car. "Just go, I'll ride over on my own."

"Keiiiiith, you can't be forgetting things, tut, tut." Lance shook his head at Keith and Keith scowled through pink cheeks.

Keith ran across the parking lot, cursing through his breath. He bounded across the courtyard and into the dorm buildings. Stampeding up the steps he crashed into his room and grabbed his folder sitting on his bed.

He pulled keys out of a drawer and grabbed his helmet, he ran outside and hopped onto his red motorcycle he kept in the parking lot. He crammed his head into the helmet squashing his hair into his face.

His viola was strapped onto his back like a backpack and his folder was placed in the shoulder rest pocket.

He sped off with a roar, making all heads in the lot look towards him, he looked pretty cool.

He raced down the roads onto the highway and felt the wind tear through under his coat. His fingerless gloves did nothing to help with the shattering freeze the evening drenched him in. But he liked it, he liked how it whipped around and seemed to tear him apart. Like stripping the bad things and seeing what was inside, like peeling an orange.

He smiled, he loved going for motorcycle rides, he hadn't been on his for a while. He was constantly practicing and the only place he'd gone outside of school was Shiro's and Hunk had given him a ride, seeing as it was for a practice session.

This probably wasn't good for his viola at all, but he didn't care right now. He was done numbing the pain, he just wanted to rip it all away. And Lance was the one that was there when he wanted to.

Freaking Lance.

Keith laughed as he went up the ramp and towards Shiro's.

He pulled into Shiro's driveway and hopped off his motorcycle, taking off his helmet.

___________________________________

"Lance, can you go see if that's Keith I heard on the street a minute ago." Shiro spoke.

"Eeeyup" Lance complied.

Lance walked outside and stopped when he saw Keith standing in the driveway over a motorcycle. "DUDE-" Lance stopped talking with Keith took off his helmet, shaking his head so his sweaty hair got out of his face. It was like your average 19somethin's biker gang movie, when the girl sees flowers fall and the guy in slow motion.

That was Lance and Lance was hit hard, HARD.

He started blushing like crazy and forming words was now a challenge unable to be achieved.

"Dude you own a motorcycle? Mierda." Lance was choking.

"Uh...yeah, wait-please don't make fun of me, I'm not edgy." Keith suddenly putting his defenses up. That thought hadn't even occurred to Lance, he was too busy dying inside. He was hurt that Keith would think he was making fun of him, he hadn't really given him a reason not to. But it stung still for some reason.

Lance's heart crumpled and his face changed to one of utter hurt "No no Keith, I was just shocked, es tan guay y caliente." Lance blushed and looked away.

Keith still didn't know what Lance said, but he didn't push it this time. It seemed Lance looked embarrassed to say it, coward.

"Uh...come inside we're waiting for you." Lance managed to strangle out.

Keith peered at him confused.

___________________________________

Once Keith was inside he set his helmet on the counter and walked into the living room, Lance close behind.

"Multa culo" he heard Lance say behind him.

"Hmm?" Keith hummed.

Lance went into a couching fit and Keith spun around "you okay?"

"fInE" Lance's voice cracked. Keith didn't look convinced.

"Keith, glad you're here, we need to practice so let's get on with it." Shiro said to Keith when he came into the living room. Allura sat on the couch, very pregnant. Her white hair cascading like a waterfall down her back. She had dark skin that contradicted her hair, and bright sky blue eyes that were almost transparent. Two birthmarks on her face that curved outlining her under eye.

Keith waved to Allura "Hullo Keith!" she said cheerfully "I'd hug you, but it's hard to get up" she laughed and Keith smiled. He loved Allura, "right, how you holding up?" Keith asked "I'm...holding up." Allura giggled. Keith smiled as he took his place in the circle of musicians.

"LEGGO!" Pidge said throwing a fist into the air. "Okay, okay" Keith said "Shiro?" Shiro nodded and then counted off "1,2,3,4,1"

Keith played the first 4 measures perfectly but then he made the mistake of looking up from his music and made eye contact with Lance.

Shit.

He blinked.

Legend?

He blinked again.

Lance?

What?

The person looked at him with blue ocean eyes that were so deep. The water sucked him deeper and one word bounced in his head.

Ocean, ocean, ocean, ocean, ocean.

It was Lance, he was the ocean, he was blue not golden like Legend. Keith saw ocean not sunset, Keith saw Lance not Legend. He sighed relief.

Keith realized he was the only person playing, and he stopped.

"What's up guys why'd you stop?" Keith asked. "Keith, you're kidding right" Pidge looked shocked. "Am I really that awful?" Keith said sounding upset. Lance hopped in "What? No Keith, go look in the bathroom mirror." Keith frowned "why?" "Just do it" Lance sighed.

Keith walked into the bathroom, there were tears streaming down his face and he brought a hand up to touch his face. He felt the scar from a few months ago when Lance had caught him on the fine tuners.

Flashbacks, scars, tears.

"What, why am I crying?" Keith practically screamed, he hated this feeling, he felt weak and upset. He turned around and punched the bathtub which proved to be a terrible idea. He howled in pain and crumpled to the floor holding his hand.

"GAH! Fuck, fuck, fuck, fucking Legend." He was angry with Legend, he was angry with Lance, but most of all he was angry with himself.

Keith walked out of the bathroom and took his place in the ring again "let's play" he said still upset.

"Keith? What happened?!" Hunk asked and everyone seemed to ask with him.

It's Lance not Legend.

"I just had something in my eye." Keith forced a smile, and to be honest everyone knew he was lying. They had all heard the loud thwack of Keith's hand going into the bathtub. Plus Shiro and Lance had noticed the huge purple bruise on the side of Keith's right hand. However no one provoked him any further.

"Okay" a sad sounding Shiro spoke "so we need to record ourselves now so we can send a video in. Pidge brought her camera."

It's Lance not Legend.

Pidge took out a fancy looking camera and sat it on the table so it faced the group.

Keith looked around he really was lucky to have all these amazing people, Shiro, Allura, Pidge, Hunk, and even Lance. Keith smiled and Lance looked him in the eye and smiled wider back at him.

"Let's show 'em what we got!" Shiro said enthusiastically.

"Let's!" Lance said just as excited, he smiled giddily at Keith.

It's Lance not Legend.


	7. Adagio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adagio - Slow tempo.

Keith sat on the couch next to Allura, the Circle Of The Fifths had decided to take a break after recording their submission. Everyone was sitting around the room, Pidge had her phone out and was showing Hunk and Lance a meme. Shiro stared at Keith from the kitchen, he knew his brother.

Shiro walked over about to speak to Keith but then Allura gasped rather loudly "HAH! SHIRO!" Shiro rushed over to Allura. 

"WHAT'S WRONG?!" Shiro practically screeched. Everyone looked up to see what the matter was. 

"I think my water just broke."

Allura looked frightened but it was nothing compared to Shiro's face. 

"GO! HURRY!" Lance screamed, scrambling to his feet. "WE WILL BE FINE GO TAKE YOUR PREGNANT WIFE TO THE HOSPITAL!" Everyone nodded pure terror on their faces.

"RIGHT!" Shiro jumped up and scooped up Allura carrying her bridal style out the door.

It was quiet after Shiro left for about a minute until Pidge spoke up.

"God."

Lance was the first to Laugh, then Pidge and Hunk, ending on Keith, then it hit him.

"Oh my God, I can't believe this, I'm gonna be an uncle." Keith stood there and let it hit him. Lance smiled and ruffled his hair, "tio Keith." Keith blushed. He noticed Pidge whisper something in Hunk's ear and he watched Hunk's eyes get wide and nod. 

"What are you guys conspiring about?" Keith quirked an eyebrow and Lance turned around equally as interested now.

"Oh nothing" she said with a smirk, "just remembered that I need to get back right now and I'll ride the city bus and Hunk wanted to come with." 

"Wait what about me and Keith? Lance chimed in. "Yeah" Keith echoed.

"Oh I thought Keith would could just give you a ride on his motorcycle." Pidge smirked. "Hunk let's go" Pidge said grabbing Hunk's arm and tugging him out the door. With their instruments, Keith and Lance just stood in the living room in a daze.

"So uh...?" Lance hummed anxiously.

"Apparently I'm giving you a ride." Keith's voice only with a hint of annoyance.

"Apparently."

Keith ran a hand through his hair hating the silence.

"'Kay then, let's go" He said finally. Lance put a hand on his shoulder, Keith turned around and looked at him. Lance's face blurred in emotion and Keith couldn't tell which one, ocean eyes peered at him.

Ocean.

"Keith, listen...we never really had a chance to talk about what you told me in the coffee shop the other day." Lance was looking away, blush heavy on his cheeks. Keith looked at him. 

Two days ago Keith had found himself sitting across from Lance in a coffee shop telling him all the secrets of his past. If you'd told him he would've done that at the beginning of the year, Keith would have laughed in your face. But here he was standing next to Lance in the dimly lit living room of his older brothers house alone talking about his issues.

"Just...just forget it." Keith looked away, it probably wasn't good that he kept running but now that someone other than Shiro knew about it, it was just too overwhelming.

"Keith, no." Lance was stern and he tugged at him to sit down. They sat on the floor, crosslegged staring at each other. 

"Lance, why do you care so much? I don't mean anything to you." Lance bit his lip.

"Keith, don't say that you're my fr-friend" Lance stuttered. Keith looked touched, yet a part of him whined to be something more. 

"Th-thanks Lance..." Keith's shaky breath loud in the quiet room.

"Look, Keith I know you went through some shit, alone, and I want you to not, to not be alone anymore you know?" Lance was blushing harder now and Keith just stared at him. 

Keith smiled, and Lance stared at him and then put his face in his hands. "Dios, no puedes hacer eso, tu sonrisa me mata."

Keith didn't know what it meant so he smiled bigger, Lance looked at him and smiled but shook his head.

"Beautiful" Keith breathe out. 

"What?" asked Lance.

"I SAID, NOT A FOOL, YOU ARE NOT A FOOL LANCE!" Keith mentally facepalmed. Lance raised an eyebrow.

"Okkaaay, bonita. Whatever you say." Lance shook his head. "I really hope we get into the competition, it'd be pretty cool to take a group road trip. And you know represent our school and stuff but whatever." Keith nodded.

Pidge had sent in the video already and now they were just waiting.

Lance reached over and carded his hand through Keith's hair, Keith looked at him a bit shocked. "Lance?" Lance put a finger to Keith's lips to make him shut up, Keith turned scarlet.

"lo siento bebé, lo siento mucho" Lance whispered, he leaned forward and brushed hair out of Keith's face, just running his fingers gently through Keith's obsidian hair. "Lo siento, lo siento, lo siento." Lance's voice soothed Keith, he felt fuzzy.

Lance bent forward farther and Keith leaned back into the couch, Lance pulled his hair out from his face and tucked it behind Keith's ear. His face inches away, is he gonna kiss me? Keith's mind screamed frantically.

And then Lance tackled him in a huge hug, "mmmph!" Keith grunted when Lance suddenly had his arms wrapped around him and he felt Lance's radiating body heat through his shirt. It felt nice, and safe, and everything he had ever wanted. He put his arms around Lance and fell into him, his head in Lance's chest.

"Lo siento bebé lamento que tuvieras que hacerlo solo." Lance whispered in Keith's hair.

Keith hummed into Lance's chest who shuddered when he felt Keith's hot breath on his skin.

"I hope we get in" Lance said into Keith's head. "Me too" muttered Keith into Lance's chest. They pulled apart and Lance smiled awkwardly, "sorry that was probably really weird sorry for stepping over boundries...again." He blushed.

Keith smiled "It's fine...thank you." He whispered the last bit and Lance smiled.

"How 'bout that ride then?" Lance said laughing a little. "Now that it's dark out" he shook his head. "C'mon" a smiling Keith said in response walking to the front door to get his helmet."

"Ah...I don't have another helmet, so you can wear mine" Keith said rubbing the back of his neck shyly. Lance blushed at this words.

"Oh, okay." He took the helmet from Keith's hands and put it on. It smelled like Keith, musky and hot. Like cinnamon mixed with pine, Lance inhaled deeply.

They walked outside and Keith swung one leg over, straddling the bike. "Get on then" he waited for Lance who took a minute to admire the scenery. "Right" he said weakly getting on the back and keeping as far as Keith as possible.

"What are you doing? You have to press up closer, put your arms around my waist." Keith huffed, but he blushed, Lance blushed too and pathetically managed a "'kay."

"Keith can we stop somewhere?" Lance muttered.

"Where?" Keith was blushing furiously now because Lance had his arms wrapped around his waist and was pressed against his back tightly.

"Don't laugh, there's a corn field that's relatively close and when I was younger I would go there and look at the stars. I haven't been able to go back for a while and I was wondering if maybe- actually no ignore me, it's fine." Lance cut himself off.

"Lance, what are you on about, if you want to go, I don't mind. Just tell me how to get there." Keith ignored the heat on his cheeks.

Lance too.

"Okay." He said weakly.

Keith revved up the engine, and Lance tightened his grip. Keith moved his hands slightly and suddenly they were off, speeding out of the driveway and down the street.

Keith had always hated riding without a helmet, it was cold and bugs got in your face, but he also didn't want Lance to go through that. So he was braving it all and tearing through the dark streets pulling onto the highway.

Lance's hand moved and pointed to the right lane, Keith switched. He followed Lance's pointing signals all the way to a dirt road. That lead into a corn field, but Keith just pulled over on the side of the road.

No other cars were on this one, they all stayed on the main asphalt.

Keith bent his head down and looked at the delicate caramel fingers wrapped around his waist so tight they were going white.

He put his hand on one and felt Lance's head move off his back.

"We're here." Keith said, the same color as his dark red motorcycle. Lance shifted away from Keith and off the motorcycle.

"Gracias Keith." He said turning around and smiling at him, Keith felt his heart shatter.

"Yeah no problem." He leaned against his motorcycle and Lance copied him.

They looked up at the navy sky and watched as billions of stars sparkled overheard listening in on them and snooping on their privacy.

"I use to look at the stars and always imagine little people in the sky. Like they were up there dancing and every time one twinkled it meant someone had laughed. I would lay on the ground and tell jokes to the sky seeing if I made one laugh, and If one twinkled after I said something I would get so happy. Stars are something I think that every person sees differently."

Lance continued talking to Keith in a hushed tone.

"I use to dance with the stars, I would sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and bounce around with them."

Keith smiled imagining ten year old Lance dancing in a corn field.

"Show me." He said quietly to Lance.

Lance whipped around to face Keith. "What!?"

"Show me." Repeated Keith just as quiet

"I want to see you dance." Keith shook the words away giving them new meaning in his head. Keith calm down this is totally normal, you just wan to see what your FRIEND looks like when he's dancing, you do NOT like him.

"Um...okay, dance with me then." Lance stuck his hand out, and Keith looked at it. He fell into that one on his own.

"Okay" Keith took Lance's hand and Lance pulled him up closer so he was pressed up to his chest.

"Music?" Lance asked, Keith took his phone out from his pocket and gave it to Lance who typed into it and picked a song.

"Mmm..." Lance nodded getting a feel for the beginning of the song and then setting Keith's phone on his motorcycle. It played a slow song sung in spanish, and Lance took Keith's body and moved it with him, slowly and melodically.

"Mi bebé"

Lance's body was warm and soft.

"vivir la vida como si se fueran"

Keith loved it.

"porque lo harán"

Keith loved the smell of the brisk night air.

"puedes orar que se quedarán"

Keith loved the feeling of dancing with Lance.

"pero al final no tienes voz"

Keith loved the soft words sung in spanish.

"en si te aman"

Keith loved everything about this moment.

"porque es toda elección"

Keith loved Lance.


	8. Canon In L

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Canon - A round.

Me he enamorado de ti.

Y mierda duele.

Duele como el infierno.

Porque tú no me amas.

Y sé que nunca lo harás.

Entonces todas las noches rezo.

Que todo esto habrá terminado.

Que no tendré que soportar el fuego.

De rechazo.

Pero al mismo tiempo.

No quiero que se vaya.

Amo la euforia.

Pero odio el sufrimiento.

Pero también te amo.

Así que lo soportaré.

Como viene.

Porque?

Porque te amo.

Y la victoria de eso.

Supera las consecuencias.

Te amo.

Keith.


	9. Canon In K

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Canon - A round.

널 만났어.

내가 너를 가장 필요로했을 때.

나는 생각한다.

나는 있을지도 모른다.

떨어지는.

당신과 사랑에.

하지만 그것을 무시하려고합니다.

내가 알고 있기 때문에.

나는 기회가 없다.

너무 아파요.

너는 몰라.

얼마나 깊은 지

나는 넘어졌다.

그리고 지금 나는 등반해야한다.

혼자서.

그러니 제발.

너무 완전하지 마라.

왜냐하면 난 실 거예요.

똑같은 짓을하다.

다시.

사랑해

Lance.


	10. Pluck My Heart Strings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pluck - Pinching and releasing a string.

Keith walked down the busy corridor looking at his phone.

He was waiting for a text message stating if they had gotten into the competition or if they hadn't.

Keith but his lip.

"KEIIIIIIIIITH!" 

Pidge came bounding down the halls and nearly ran into 4 people, she ran up to Keith and gave him a giant hug.

"What's all this about?" Keith inquired through a smile.

"We got into the competition!" Pidge squealed. Keith took into account that Pidge wasn't as rough around the edges as she played it up to be, he hugged her back.

"Come to the orchestra room now Coran has the details!" Pidge grabbed his hand and tugged him through the sea of people.

They got in, Keith's smile widened.

___________________________________

"WE GOT IIIIIIIIIN!" Lance shrieked. Him and Hunk were holding hands, forming a circle, and hopping up and down around the orchestra room. Keith smiled and Pidge looked ecstatic, Coran simply laughed.

"You got in." He said grinning at Keith

Lance ran over to a dazed but happy Keith and lifted him into the air.

"OH MI DIOS, ESTOY TAN FELIZ, OH MY GOD I'M SO HAPPY, I COULD KISS YOU RIGHT NOW!" 

And he did, right on the cheek with a loud "shmack."

Keith blushed furiously and Lance set him back down, Pidge snickered in the back.

Lance seemed unmoved and continued squealing, Keith now happier than ever. Hunk was talking to Coran, and had missed the whole show. Little did they know, that wouldn't be the last.

"'Kay Lance chill out, Coran gave us all the details and we'll be leaving in about 4 days. So clear about a week off your schedule, WE ARE GOIN' ON A ROAD TRIP!" Hunk through a fist in the air and whooped. Lance joined in and then Keith and Pidge, and then even Coran.

"I'm so proud of you guys, good job and good luck representing our school!" Coran smiled at the group.

"We'll make you even prouder!" Lance grinned

___________________________________

“Broooo, this is so exciting!”

Lance had followed Keith back to his room saying something about extra practice, however Pidge had made up some excuse and took Hunk with her.

Keith found himself alone with Lance.

Again.

How did he keep ending up in situations like this? Keith growled, but the blush visible on his cheeks conveyed a different emotion.

Keith watched Lance pick his violin out of its case and start plucking on it. He looked beautiful, long soft eyelashes hovered gracefully over his cheeks, eyes shut.

Keith short circuited. “UM!” His voice cracked. Lance opened his eyes and looked at him, he smirked.

”UM! We forgot to tell Shiro we got in, we should call him first.” Keith was talking to the ground.

”What’s wrong prettyboy, am I too much to handle? Alone, in your room.” Lance’s gentle voice caressed Keith’s ears and seemed to egg him on, but he withstood.

”Shut up.” Keith pushed him, with a smile and rosy cheeks present on his face.

Lance giggled and pushed back, he jumped on top of Keith and started tickling him. Keith was laughing with Lance now as he tickled him. Lance’s hands slipped under Keith’s t-shirt and Keith nearly exploded from the feeling of smooth skin on rough.

Until Lance tickled his waist, Keith yelped and Lance pulled back. Keith’s eyes started getting watery and he looked away. Lance sat up so he was straddling Keith.

Lance’s fingers dripped blood and Keith knew he’d fucked up.

”Keith please tell me that I nicked a scar and that this isn’t fresh.”

Keith didn’t say anything, he only watched his vision blur as tears welled up in his eyes.

”KEITH!” Lance grabbed Keith by the shoulders and lifted him up off the ground, so he was sitting up. Keith looked away, tears threatening to spill.

”OH MY GOD!” Lance shook Keith and then grabbed his chin, making him face Lance.

”WHY?!” Lance screamed looking devastated, a minute ago they were laughing, but that seemed far from sight now.

Keith was staring at Lance now and tears were streaming down his face. Lance put a hand up to his face and cupped it.

”Lance, it’s not that easy, it’s my fault and this is my-”

”KEITH NO It is not your fault, I know it’s not easy. I’m sorry” Lance pulled Keith into his arms and held him as Keith sobbed.

”Lance, it’s so bad at night, at night I feel like, I want to die, like things would be better if I just joined Legend.” Keith choked out, crying into Lance’s arms.

Lance rocked him “shh, I know, but I don’t want you to die, shh.” Lance sat there rocking him for almost a minute, cooing at the small boy in his arms. Lance’s soft voice eventually lulled Keith to sleep and Lance leaned down to get a better look at his face.

Keith’s dark lashes looked like little feathers and Lance felt the heavy heaves of Keith’s chest. Lance’s shirt was soaked with Keith’s tears and Lance held him tight.

”Keith baby you’ve been through so much, and you still are. I wish I could do something for you.” He kissed Keith’s forehead.

They hadn’t been able to practice at all and to be honest neither of them cared much that they hadn’t.

Lance shook Keith gently after ten minutes, “Keith, newbie, wake up.” Keith stirred and looked up at him through half lidded eyes and rosy cheeks. Lance nearly went into cardiac arrest at the sight of Keith’s waking up face.

”Lance, can you-” Keith turned ever redder and looked away “nevermind” he whispered.

”No Keith, tell me” Lance held Keith’s head, fingers intertwined in his hair, which Lance thought was the softest thing he’d ever felt.

”This is dumb, but can you stay the night? Please, I don’t want to find myself in the bathroom at 2:00 a.m...again.”

Keith resembled a tomato. Lance peered at him, a bit shocked, here was this tough edgy guy with a mullet and fingerless gloves half awake in his arms with tears in his arms, pleading him to stay the night.

Lance smiled gently “sure newbie” he hugged him carefully and felt Keith breathe out a shaky “thanks” against his chest.

___________________________________

It was unlike Keith took ask anyone for help, let alone ask Lance to stay the night with him.

Weak.

Keith you're not weak asking for help, everyone needs help you're human. Keith fought himself internally.

Keith flipped from his back onto his side, and looked at Lance's back who laid next to him on his bed.

It was Lance's idea to sleep in the same bed, saying that this way he'd wake up if Keith tried to get out. Keith didn't mind, however he had to act like he did and so he spaced himself far from Lance on the other side.

Keith stared at Lance's back, he was wearing one of Keith's tank tops as a makeshift pajama shirt. A pair of Keith's athletic shorts on his legs, Keith blushed.

Lance flipped over and opened his eyes, he smiled when he saw Keith awake with bright cheeks and large eyes.

"You know it could be like this all the time." Lance smirked.

"What?" Keith stuttered, it was 3:30 a.m and he was laying in bed with the one guy he denied his crush on.

Lance picked up his hand and carded it through Keith's hair, drifting it down his cheek and cupping his chin.

"Love me" Lance whispered, was that a question or a command? Keith thought through wide eyes.

Lance's smirk dropped back into a smile, a sorrowful smile. He flopped over on his back and laid there for a minute, leaving a stunned Keith to wallow on his own.

"Wha-Lance?" Keith sat up and looked at him, he peered down at him and Lances ocean eyes bore into Keith's skull leaving him breathless.

"Don't worry about it newbie" Lance smiled and reached an arm up, he cupped the back of Keith's head and pushed him down so that Keith's head lay on Lance's beating chest.

"Your heart is throbbing really fast" Keith whispered through the dark.

"I know" Lance simply stated.

Keith smiled warmly and closed his eyes, blush still residing firmly on his cheeks.

No, Keith don't do it.

Ah, shit Keith you did it.

You fell in love with him Keith.

Keith smiled in the dark at his own thoughts.

I know, and it feels amazing.

"Won't for long."

Keith opened his eyes, he sighed.

"I know."

___________________________________

"Keith, wake up"

Lance shook Keith gently who was currently wrapped around his waist, arms fastened tightly. Lance smiled, this was a moment he wanted to cherish, he stopped shaking Keith and laid back down.

It was Saturday and they had chamber group practice in 30 minutes, but it was fine he'd let the angel sleep a bit longer.

Lance stared at Keith, and watched him rise up and down on Lance's chest.

His cheeks were dusted with rose and his lips looked perfectly kissable.

Just a taste, Lance thought.

NO! Get this fantasy out of your head, you had your fun and now it is time to be done.

Lance shook his head and then opened his eyes, when he did he noticed a small marking on Keith's neck. It was smudged and looked like it had been drawn on, it looked like a large scar and it ran up to his neck and stopped under his chin.

Lance put his thumb on it and rubbed, something came off, concealer? Lance continued rubbing until he rubbed all the makeup off, when he was finished a large scar shown. It ran up from his chest, then neck, and up all the way onto his cheek.

Lance made a face, one of utter sadness and placed two fingers to his lips. He kissed his fingers and then placed them onto Keith's cheek.

"Keith you devil quit plucking my heart strings mi amor."

Lance shook his head and smiled.


	11. Crescendo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crescendo - A steady increase in volume.

Keith woke up, refreshed and renewed, then all of last night came flooding into his mind.

He ripped his shirt off and looked around his body, looking for anything new.

Nothing.

Lance walked into his room and Keith looked at him, Keith smiled sweetly and shyly said.

"Thank you Lance."

"No, thank you!" Lance whistled and walked over to Keith, he sat on the edge of his bed.

"Bro, I'm bi remember? You can't go tearing off your shirts around me, 'specially not with those abs." Lance poked him in the stomach, Keith flushed a bright red but smacked at him. Lance giggled and then said "there's bacon and coffee in the other room, I made some." Keith went from happy to elated in a second.

"Bacon? Coffee? I don't even own that stuff, where'd you get it?"

"Brought it over from my room, figured you'd want some." 

Keith melted a bit inside, "yeah...thanks" he whispered trying not to let his cheeks deceive him.

They deceived him.

Lance chuckled "'kay then we should hurry up, before we miss practice."

Keith suddenly remembering scrambled out of bed, but as he did so his boxers slipped in the back and Lance caught a glimpse of Keith's butt.

Lance whistled again and then smirked "Keith, it's like you're trying to get my attention." Lance walked out of the room, still smirking. Keith's gay ass remained stationary for a few minutes regaining it's thoughts. 

Lance was going to be the death of him.

Keith walked into the living room, he had put shorts on, but left his shirt off.

Purposefully.

Hey, just because Lance didn't love him back didn't mean Keith wasn't gonna soak up all his asshole-ish flirtations either.

"Here you go- Oh! That's the game we're playin' huh? Well two can play at that game!" Lance was mid-giving-Keith-coffee when he noticed Keith still hadn't put a shirt on and so he took his own off.

"HAH! Now we're even!" Lance smirked triumphantly.

Keith's eyes were roaming and there was no deny in his head now that he loved Lance. His body was beautiful, sun kissed tan skin and chiseled abs. Keith couldn't believe the sight that was before him.

"Oh I am too gay for this." Keith whispered under his breath. Lance caught it, but he didn't say anything, only smirked.

"Here take your coffee it's gettin' cold" Lance stuck a mug out at him and Keith took it, still staring.

"KEITH! WATCH OUT!" Lance stuck an arm out and stabled Keith's mug, which had apparently started to travel elsewhere. Keith had completely missed his mouth and was going to spill hot coffee all over himself, but Lance had grabbed the mug and realigned it.

Lance smirked "careful newbie, it's gettin' cold not already cold." Keith turned red and looked away. He sat down on the couch and pulled his knees to his chest, he sipped his coffee.

Lance sat on the floor beneath him and stared at him. Deep blue eyes eating Keith away from the inside.

"Lance, seriously...thank you." Keith whispered staring into his coffee.

Lance let out a breath through his smile and whispered back "you're welcome."

Lance reached up and put his hand on Keith's knee, Keith peered around his mug and looked at Lance's hand.

"Yeah?" Keith asked.

"Do you like anyone?" 

Keith nearly spat out his coffee all over Lance. Nearly.

"What are you a twelve year old girl?" Keith raised an eyebrow and shot it at Lance.

"So that's a yes then" Lance smirked widely and sent an eyebrow back at Keith, which pierced his heart.

"For your information I don't like anyone..." Keith narrowed his eyes and stared at Lance who looked at him in disbelief. Keith's face melted and it was replaced with sadness.

"I love them." Keith sad regaining his vision in his coffee again.

"Oh?" Lance inquired only slightly dying inside at the confession of his crush loving someone, and that there was a 99% chance it wasn't him.

"Yeah, but don't worry 'bout it, they don't like me back. I'm sure." Keith looked devastated and Lance hated it. How dare that person, how dare they give up this amazing beautiful guy, how dare they make Keith feel this way, Lance could kill them.

Lance's anger was apparently visible however because Keith tilted his head like a puppy, sending Lance to the stars.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's fine, it's fine, pssh no actually it's not! I fucking- I fucking- Oh my God Te amo y te quiero, pero este hijo de puta quiere dejarte y debería estar agradeciendo los cielos que te consiguió!" Lance was standing up now and waving his arms whilst pacing.

"Lance I can't understand you." Keith whispered.

Lance ignored him and angrily bit his thumb "fuck."

"Lance." Keith was worried now.

"Just don't worry 'bout it, just- come on." 

Lance grabbed Keith's wrist and shoved him into his room, Lance walked out and shut the door. 

"DRESS!" Lance yelled from the other side.

"What.The.Fuck." Keith was thoroughly confused.

Keith put his clothes on and opened the door, Lance had gone over to his room and put something on and then come back over. 

"I'm sorry Lance, if I did something I'm sorry." Keith stepped forward, sadness present in his voice. Lance sighed.

"No Keith, it's my fault. I'm being a bitch and I'm sorry. I just, I dunno. I'm upset that someone could just not like you, like you're amazing and super fucking hot, and I dunno.' Lance was looking away and that gave Keith a bright look at the fact that Lance's head had been replaced with a tomato.

"You think I'm fucking hot?" Keith smirked.

"Umm...I think we should get to practice, motorcycle?" Lance rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

Keith smiled brightly, Lance thinks I'm fucking hot. Keith calm down, he meant it platonically.

Right?

"Yeah, motorcycle" Keith whispered through a grin.

___________________________________

"AND THEN WE WERE ALL LIKE NYOOOM AND WYEEOOOM!" Lance was shrieking at Keith's nephew, who was laughing hysterically at Lance.

Keith and Lance had arrived at Shiro and Allura's a few minutes ago and Lance had nearly died at the sight of the new baby sitting in mama Allura's lap.

They were waiting for Pidge and Hunk and Lance had started talking to the baby about him and Keith's motorcycle ride.

Baby Ren, was his name and he had beautiful white hair and in it were strands of highlighted black hair. It was long for a babies, his eyes were two different colors. Black and blue, it was odd and very uncommon Allura had said.

Keith was currently dying inside at how cute little nephew Ren was, but he had to keep his tough boy facade up. 

Only Shiro knew about his inner self, and Lance now. Lance was beginning to be the only other person Keith trusted. 

It was strange, Keith didn't really know Lance. He looked over at Lance as it hit him, who was this boy? For all he knew about him, he could be a serial killer on the run from the entire police force.

Lance turned around for a second and noticed Keith staring at him, he smiled brightly and as he did so he closed his eyes. Leaving Keith with a heart wound and a new thought.

No, he can't be a serial killer, he's too precious.

Ren squealed.

"Look Keith he's reaching for you" Lance smiled at him, he took Keith's hand and guided him over sitting him down next to Allura's knees. Ren smiled and Keith's heart collapsed, "hello little nephew, nice to meet you." Lance smiled.

"Do you want children someday, Keith?" Allura asked him.

"I'm not sure, I suppose it'd be nice. But I don't really trust myself with kids." Keith smiled shyly as he watched Ren take hold of his middle finger and squeeze it.

"Then you marry someone who is good with kids." Allura smiled.

"I suppose." Keith muttered "but first I have to find someone that want's to marry me." He and Allura laughed.

I do, Lance thought. I do, so much.

"Quiero a."

Shiro snickered from the kitchen, and Lance jumped up and ran in there.

"Why'd you laugh?" He questioned, eyebrow raised.

"Lance, I can speak multiple different languages." Shiro sent a smirk flying towards him.

"Wait." Lance went pale. "SeRiOuSlY?" Lance's voice cracked and he felt like he had just gotten punched in the stomach.

Shiro chuckled, "yeah man, but hey. I approve of you, you seem like a pretty cool dude. Just-be careful, okay...Keith's fragile...do you know?-"

"Yeah I know." Lance looked at the floor.

Shiro nodded, "okay then you know how he is, that's good, does he know anything about you?"

"Look Shiro you don't have to worry, Keith doesn't like me. He said so himself, he said he is in love with somebody." 

Shiro smiled "ah, my bad then." But Shiro's voice didn't sound very wavered, in fact it sounded sarcastic. 

What?

Lance stared blankly at Shiro, who smirked at him. "Shoo then, I'm making lunch for me and Allura so it'll be ready after practice." He waved him out of the kitchen.

Lance stood in the doorway and watched Keith play with baby Ren. A smile present on his face, Lance sighed.

Keith was going to be the death of him.

"I'm good with kids." Lance whispered to himself.

___________________________________

Pidge and Hunk arrived 15 minutes ago, and now they were currently rehearsing their piece.

Lance stared across at Keith, he watched Keith's shirt ride up on his midriff as he moved with the music. 

He saw the scars poking out of his shirt, and he was wanted to go shield him, save his baby from telling everyone else. Hide the things he's seen, so only he's seen them. 

But that wasn't an option, Lance watched Keith's eyelids flutter shut and then open just as quickly as if to taunt his beautiful dark lashes. 

Singing "ha ha Lance, you can't have me!" 

Lance shivered and when he did, his bow shook and fucked up the note.

They stopped.

"Cresendo Lance! Crescendo!" Shiro reprimanded him.

"The only thing happening when you yell at me, is a decrescendo in my dic-" 

"LANCE! THERE ARE CHILDREN PRESENT" 

"I'M THE SAME AGE AS YOU, JUST BECAUSE I'M SMALL-"

"PIDGE HE MEANT REN!"

Suddenly everyone was yelling at each other.

Keith sighed.

"GUYS!" He shouted regaining everyone's attention.

"Let's take a break and talk about the competition for a minute."

Everyone nodded and awkwardly apologized to each other.

Keith shook his head and then spoke "good, 'kay first thing's first, we are going to stay in a hotel. Meaning we need to figure out how many rooms we want. Obviously some people will have to share a bed."

"Obviously me and Keith will share a bed" Lance cut Keith off "I mean since we've already done that before."

"WHAT!?" The room shouted in unison.

Keith turned bright red and covered his face with his hands, last thing seen being Lance's smirk.


	12. Key To My Signature

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Key Signature - The space before the measures showing the variation of notes needed to play.

Keith smiled and poked baby Ren's cheeks who let out a squeal of delight.

"Okay, I can't believe how cute your baby is Allura" Hunk smiled and floofed Ren's hair.

"I HELPED!" Shiro shouted from the other side of the yard.

Allura blushed and sent daggers into his eyes but she smiled as well.

It was finally the day before the competition. Meaning they were driving today, meaning they all had booked it to Shiro's that morning. 

They were taking Shiro's Jeep Renegade, which Keith thought was the dumbest car in existence. Keep in mind, Keith had only ever had a motorcycle.

They had decided to take Shiro's car because he and Allura had two, and the rest of them had smaller cars that wouldn't fit everyone. Keith had said something about separate cars, but Lance shot down the idea fast.

It was fine this way though, to be honest he couldn't care less about cars right now. They had agreed a few days ago on the sleeping arrangement.

Shiro and Hunk in one bed.

Pidge on the pull out couch.

Keith and Lance in another bed.

Lance had only blushed bright red and scowled at Shiro when he proposed Lance and Keith do share a bed through a devilish smirk.

They were all standing outside Shiro and Allura's house at 8:30 a.m in their parking lot. Packed and ready to go, as Hunk helped everyone load their suitcase and instruments into the back of the fucked up truck.

Allura sat on the front step and held Ren on her lap by his wrists, facing him forwards so he could watch everyone. 

Shiro walked back into the house and then out a few times remembering things and mumbling to himself.

Pidge sat crisscross in the grass in front of Lance who was on his knees behind her forming her short hair into the best french braid short hair could provide.

Hunk loaded baggage, and as he did he whistled joining the birds' choir.

Keith smiled at the scene, he felt warm and fuzzy inside and took a deep breath in, and then nearly died when Shiro clapped him on the back roughly.

"Ready to go Keithyboy?" He ruffled the top of Keith's wet hair, he had taken a shower before he arrived.

"Yeah" Keith said regaining his breath and shaking out of Shiro's hand.

"ALL ABOARD THE CIRCLE OF FIFTHS TRAIN!" Shiro cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled at everyone. They all got up waving to Allura and Ren and getting into the jeep. Shiro walked over to Allura to say goodbye and kissed Ren's head, he then turned upward and kissed Allura. Keith sighed, he looked at Lance.

"Don't you wish you could have what they have sometimes?" Lance looked at Keith and asked quietly.

Keith was shocked "Lance I can't believe you, why are you whining? You probably do get this all the time, I mean look at you-" Keith stopped and turned red. He threw open the car door and grabbed shotgun seat.

Lance stood with wide eyes for a minute and then he smirked "WAIT MULLET!?" He jumped into the back of the car and put his hands on Keith's seat in front of him. He leaned his face in and smirked wider.

"Did you just say I'm good looking?" 

Keith turned his face, suddenly very interested by the window. He scooched himself as close as possible to the door and scowled. 

"I said nothing of the sort." Keith grumbled.

"Mhmm" Lance hummed through a smirk. "Such a shame, he's a liar"

Lance twirled his fingers into Keith's hair and pulled.

"OW! Lance what the fuck are you doing?"

Lance pulled him close to his face until only their noses touched. Keith let out a soft squeak and Lance smirk grew, he let go of his hair. Making Keith fall back into his seat.

Lance returned to his seat in the back and stared emotionless at Keith. Keith turned around and faced the front, what.the.fuck.

Shiro got into the driver's seat and handed Keith a map "you get to be the map holder." He said as if it was a designated and vital role and needed a title.

"Yippee" Keith said, voice dripping with sarcasm as if his unenthusiastic face didn't already show it.

Pidge suddenly appeared behind Keith and screeched "WAIT SHIRO! Can I be the map holder?"

Shiro shrugged and responded with a "sure." 

"Keith go sit next to Lance in the back then so Pidge can have shotgun."

And so now instead of

Shiro, Keith

Hunk, Pidge

Lance.

It was

Shiro, Pidge

Hunk

Lance, Keith

Keith groaned "WHAT!?"

"Don't be six, just move" Shiro raised an eyebrow at him. 

Keith unbuckled and got out the car only to get back in and sit next to Lance in the back. Truth be told he'd gladly sit next to his crush for hours in a small space. But with the stunt Lance just pulled and whatever the fuck was coming out of his mouth, he didn't want to be stuck there.

He sat down next to Lance who smirked at him, voids for eyes and pink pouty lips.

Oh poor poor Keith, and oh poor poor Keith's soul. 

This roadtrip was gonna be fun.

Shiro rolled down the windows and waved at Allura as he started to pull out of the driveway.

It took 2 minutes for them to get to the highway and once they did, Hunk decided he was gonna take a nap. 

So now Hunk was passed out, Pidge had headphones in and was staring at the map, feet on the dashboard. Shiro had music playing quietly in the car and he hummed along with it. But Keith and Lance were isolated in the back of the car, just them.

Lance reached a hand over a slid it over Keith's hand which rested in between their space of their seats. Keith jumped a bit, but didn't look, he was too red. Lance turned Keith's hand over and placed a sheet of paper in his hand. Keith relaxed a bit, he squeezed the paper and pulled his hand away.

Keith leaned around towards the window and opened the note as if he was a 5th grade girl.

The note read:

Open your phone.

-L

As if he needed to put the 'L' there, Lance had handed it to him himself. Keith shook his head and turned to face Lance, he raised an eyebrow.

"What's all this for?" 

Lance jumped forward and put a finger to Keith's lips. "SHH!"

Keith looked at Lance's finger now pressing gently on his lips, he kissed it.

Lance's eyes grew huge and Keith's internal thoughts screamed at his stupidity, but he played it off. Keith smirked and narrowed his eyes at Lance, who pulled his finger off Keith's lips and leaned back. 

"Wha-"

"Shh" Keith said putting his finger on Lance's lips.

But he pulled away before Lance could do anything, Keith turned around and chuckled to himself.

He smiled triumphantly to himself over how he could make Lance, a huge flirt, lose all confidence in a matter of seconds. He wondered why.

He fell asleep to the sounds of Shiro humming to Demi Lovato and Lance gasping for air.

___________________________________

"KEITH GET THE FUCK UP!" 

"KEITH WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOUR WHINING!"

"KEITH STOP FUCKING CRYING!"

"For me?"

"Keith, we don't care."

"Keith be more like your brother please."

"What a pathetic excuse for a man."

"Keith"

Keith woke up, sweating profusely with Lance's face awfully close to his. He had a splitting headache and when he noticed the face Lance was making he stopped wincing.

"What?" Keith breathed out shakily.

"I should be asking you that." Lance raised his arm up, and Keith noticed now how his hand was clamped onto his arm. Fingernails digging into stinging flesh.

"Oh my God I'm so sorry!" Keith retracted his hand quickly.

"It's fine, are you okay?" Lance asked rubbing his arm.

"Ah... yeah... yeah I think so." Keith looked at his hands in his lap. 

"Geez I'm so pathetic, I'm really sorry." Keith forced a laugh and looked at Lance, Lance's face read worry. 

It was dark out now and everyone but Lance and Shiro had been sleeping, the clock on the car read 10:45 p.m. 

According to Lance later he said they had stopped twice to go the bathroom but left you to sleep.

Lance stuck his hand out and brushed Keith's sweaty hair out of his face, "te amo."

Keith made a confused face and put his hand on Lance's, Lance intertwined their fingers.

"Are you still tired?" 

"A bit." 

"Lean on me, I'll hold your hand so if you have nightmares again you can squeeze it."

Keith blushed and felt tears form at the corners of his eyes, what did he do to deserve this? 

"사랑해"

Lance stared at him "wait, Keith, you can speak another language?" 

"Huh? Yeah." Keith whispered into Lance's shoulder. Lance shivered at his breath against his skin, an electric touch.

"Cool" Lance's voice faded out and he gripped Keith's hand and leaned his head onto Keith's.

___________________________________

"Keith wake up, we're here" Lance's cool voice sang through the silence. 

It was 1:30 a.m and they had finally made it to the hotel they were staying in for the week.

"Keiiith" Lance singsonged, Keith moaned "hmmnn what? I don't want to move, I just want to stay here and listen to your beautiful voice."

Silence.

"Keith I appreciate that you think my voice is beautiful but we have to get out, there's beds inside." 

A snicker.

Keith's eyes shot open and he flung himself off of Lance, completely sober now.

Pidge had an eyebrow raised and a smirk which she had copied and pasted from Hunk's. Lance turned and looked at Keith, he smirked as well.

"Um..." Keith's cheeks turned red and he stuttered.

"I meant-"

"You meant what? 'Cause that death grip of Lance's hand is telling us a different story." Pidge nodded her head towards Keith's and Lance's intertwined fingers.

Keith squeaked.

Shiro who had just left to go get their room keys had reappeared and was shuffling them out of the car. Keith thanked the heavens for Shiro's perfectly timed arrival.

Keith let go of Lance's hand and rushed out of the car, he grabbed his bag and ran into the building. 

Since Keith didn't know where he was going and also didn't have a room key, Lance caught up to him in no time.

He smirked and Keith died a little inside.

Shiro ushered them all to their room and they all quickly got changed, Pidge taking the bathroom.

Keith only stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed, he pulled the sheets over his ears and lay moping.

Lance was the last one to get into their beds, saying something about a face routine. Whatever the hell that was.

Lance got into the bed, since he was the last one in. Everyone was alseep, well, almost everyone. Keith was shaking for some reason now, even though as soon as Lance got under the covers the whole bed got warmer.

Lance rolled over and looked at Keith's back, Keith rolled over and was surprised to see Lance looking back at him.

"Keith" Lance whispered through the dark.

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm crying?"

Lance nodded slowly.

Keith made no effort to stop the tears or to wipe them away.

"Because I'm hurt."

Keith shut up, shut the fuck up, you're fine.

"What happened?"

Lance was worried now and brought a hand up, he pulled Keith closer until they were almost touching.

"It hurts Lance, you don't understand" Tears were now spilling down Keith's face quick and strong, Lance ran his fingers through Keith's hair.

"I want to tell you so bad, but-but-it will hurt more then and oh my God it hurts so bad." Keith was making no sense, but he kept rambling. Lance's fingers knotting Keith's hair and eyes that made him want to die every time he saw them

"Is this about Legend?" Lance whispered calmly.

Keith shook his head no and Lance was surprised, he stopped combing his hair.

"What's wrong then?" He cupped Keith's cheeks.

"Oh my God I'm so sorry, I'm so not who I play it up to be. I'm not tough and-" Keith broke off sobbing and gasping for air.

"I'm so weak." Keith whimpered, he reached his hands up and placed them on Lance's and then moved them slowly off his face.

Keith closed his eyes and blinked the tears away, he turned over.

Lance turned onto his back, he stuck his hand out under the covers and over on top of Keith's waist. He could feel the divots in Keith's skin, spooning him he felt Keith shiver and then whisper.

"Lance, you hurt me, but don't stop."

Lance's face read horror not understanding Keith at all.

He closed his eyes and tightened his grip on Keith.

He's got the key to my heart.

No he's got the key to my signature.

Who thought it?

They both did.


	13. As Natural To Me As A 'C'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natural - A symbol next to a note showing what variation of the note to play.

Lance woke up early at 6:45 a.m.

He looked over at Keith who was scrunched up tightly, knees pulled up to his chest. Arms squished underneath them, Keith's hair sprawled out on the pillow. 

Lance looked at Keith figuring he was cold, which made sense seeing as the only clothing he wore was his boxers.

Lance sat up and pulled his knees up to his chest, he rested his head on them and breathed out slowly. 

Keith shifted.

Lance stared at him contently, just enough light in the room to be able to watch Keith move up and down with his lungs.

Lance reached an arm out and played with the loose strands of Keith's hair. 

Keith turned over and opened his tired eyes, he smiled at Lance.

Lance's heart shattered as he turned crimson.

Keith stuck an arm out, he shivered against the cold air, he threw it back under the covers. 

Lance giggled softly and got out of bed, he walked over to Keith's suitcase and opened it up. Keith stared in confusion at him from the bed, he sat up.

"Did you bring a sweatshirt?" Lance whispered across the room.

Keith shook his head sheepishly.

Lance sighed and shook his head, but he smiled at Keith. He walked over to his suitcase and pulled out a large blue pull over hoodie. He threw it at Keith and it landed on his face, Lance chuckled softly.

Pidge stirred on the couch, Keith and Lance both froze and widened their eyes, Lance looked at her.

She exhaled and then turned over and continued sleeping.

Keith and Lance both breathed out relief and Lance walked back over to Keith.

Keith was struggling now to put the sweatshirt on, and his arms flailed around above him. His head stuck in the center, Lance grabbed the bottom and yanked it down. Keith's head popped out and his hair stuck up everywhere, Lance smiled widely and Keith grumbled.

"You're so cute."

Keith's eyes suddenly became huge and he stared at Lance.

"What?"

Lance ignored his question, he put his hands on Keith's shoulders. "Hey bud, I was wonderin' about last night. What...what-exactly...happened?" Lance was looking at Keith now with a pain stricken face.

"Ah-"

"Lance!" Shiro suddenly whisper hissed across the room from his bed, he had bedhead and a groggy face. Shiro rubbed his eyes and Lance flipped around to look at him.

"What?" he whispered back.

"Can you go do me a favor?" Shiro made an innocent face and pouted.

Lance raised his eyebrows unamused, but he shrugged bringing his arms with him. "Sure" he rolled his eyes.

"Sweet, go get me some coffee from down stairs...please!" Shiro smiled at him.

Lance made a sour face, but got out of bed once more.

"Take Keith with you." Shiro smiled, Lance stuck his middle finger at him, but made sure it was in front of his stomach so Keith didn't see.

Shiro smirked and stuck his tongue out at him.

"'Cmon buddy, let's go get YOUR OLDER brother some coffee." Lance grabbed Keith's arms and pulled him out of bed. Keith was only wearing Lance's hoodie and his boxers. Lance looked away and blushed.

"Put some shorts on or something first though."

"Right." Keith seemed unfazed.

He put a pair of small track shorts on and Lance nearly lost it, or what was left of it anyway.

"'Kay let's go" Keith said squishing his feet into his combat boots.

They walked silently out the room, making sure not to wake anyone else. Keith walked with his hands in the front pocket of the sweatshirt, head down staring at the floor.

Two girls walked down the hallway coming towards them, Keith looked up and one girl giggled and whispered something into her friends ear. Lance frowned, "what'd you say?" It was too early for this shit.

Keith looked nervous and Lance got angrier "you wanna tell him to his face, coward?"

The girl smirked "sure, I was just remarking on how hot your friend here was, asshole." Lance turned pink, "oh."

"Oh." the girls smirked.

Keith smiled awkwardly and tried to walk forward, but the girl stopped him with a hand on his chest. "Hey, I just admitted you were hot, do I at least get a name?" Keith laughed nervously "Ah it's Ke-"

"He doesn't have to tell you shit, you're not his boyfriend!" Lance interrupted Keith. 

Flashbacks of a few months ago flipped through Keith's mind.

I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU SHIT, YOU'RE NOT MY BOYFRIEND!

Keith shivered.

The girl smirked and elbowed her friend, "you jealous mister? Do you want to be his boyfriend?"

Lance was taken aback by the question and nearly fell over, he turned bright red.

Yes.

"I don't have to be jealous, i'm already his boyfriend!"

What was Lance saying, what the hell was he doing? His thoughts raced, ABORT, ABORT, ABORT! Keith was looking at him, mimicking the color of a tomato, eyes wide and mouth just slightly parted.

"Oh yeah? Prove it." The girl smirked and she placed a hand on her hip, her friend standing behind her. Face void of any emotions, totally used to her friend's shit.

Prove it.

The words melted in Lance's brain and time seemed to slow down, like thick molasses his idea unfurled.

Prove

It

Lance grabbed Keith's face and smashed their lips together, but he didn't move. Only made them touch, it didn't count this way right?

Until Keith started moving, Keith pressed farther and moved his lips around on Lance's, taking it all in. Even if it was for show, Lance was kissing him and he'd gladly swallow up the once in a lifetime opportunity.

Keith whimpered into Lance's mouth when Lance threw his tongue in, it was suddenly eight thousand degrees in that stupid hallway.

Keith tasted of cinnamon and bad choices, of sad days but happy nights. Of future fortune and well meaning sarcasm, of motorcycle rides in the dark looking at the stars.

Lance tasted of blueberries and warm hugs, of letting go but getting more. Of earning everything and loving taunting, of cozy nights pressed together under the sheets.

"I use to dance with the stars, I would sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and bounce around with them."

"You know it could be like this all the time."

"Don't you wish you could have what they have sometimes?"

"Love me"

It was soft.

It was warm.

It was painful.

It was short.

Lance pulled away from Keith out of breath, his lips were red and swollen. He stared at Keith whose face mirrored his, Keith was staring at him dazedly. Tears pricking at the corner of his eye and Lance wanted to lean over and wipe it away, to kiss him again. To taste the fire he felt a minute ago again, but he'd already done something crazy and now he needed to explain it.

"Wow"

Lance and Keith nearly jumped out of their skins, they had completely forgotten about the girls. Keith turned and looked at her, she seemed impressed.

"Okay, convinced me." She shrugged.

"By the way, that was hot."

She smirked as she walked away, she and her friend giggling.

Keith felt his soul slip from him and Lance started to shake.

They walked silently down to get Shiro's coffee, neither daring to speak not trusting themselves. Neither daring to look up, afraid their cheeks would expose them. They really were the densest boys in the history of planet Earth.

___________________________________

Keith sat on the outside balcony, that jutted from the sliding window door. It hung above the parking lot, and let him watch the cars whip past on the road. it was windy and his hair was flipping all over his face. He was cold, his only clothing was his fingerless gloves, the shorts, and Lance's sweatshirt but he made no move to go get warmer clothes. He shook in the freezing morning air and sipped the coffee he had brought up for himself.

Keith sighed, he knew tears were in his eyes and felt them slide down his cheeks. He didn't move, he didn't wipe them away just let them silently cascade.

He took a sip of coffee and then held it in his lap, he exhaled roughly.

"Legend..."

"...I don't know if you can hear me up there Legend..."

"...but thing's are rough down here...you made things rough down here..."

"...I miss you a lot baby...but..."

"...but I found someone and I can't say what we had was love...I can say I loved you...but it's different now..."

"...thing is...he's too good to be true..."

Keith smiled and laughed quietly.

"...you know he just kissed me..."

He shook his head.

"...but it was different...you didn't kiss me that way..."

"...Legend..."

"...did you even love me?..."

Silence

"...I want to love him...should I, is the real question though..."

"No you should not."

Keith nodded and watched his vision blur from the tears.

"...right..."

"...nice talking with you Legend...great to know you still haunt my dreams..."

Keith laughed sorrowfully and looked up, he watched the cars speed down the road.

___________________________________

Lance watched Keith walk immediately to the balcony once they got into the room. 

He handed Shiro his coffee and stared at the back of Keith, the blue of his sweatshirt marking his territory.

Lance gave him a few minutes before walking out there.

"...nice talking with you Legend...great to know you still haunt my dreams..."

He was talking to Legend Lance noted, nodding his head.

Lance sat down on the floor of the deck next to the chair Keith sat on.

"Hey Keith, just uh... that thing in the hallway."

Lance scratched the back of his head nervously, "just know, that uh... it was-"

"I know Lance"

Keith's voice was cold, and Keith still stared straight ahead. Black hair whipping around his stone face, Lance noticed tear streaks. He'd been crying, over Legend most likely.

"It was for show, thanks."

"Ah, yeah...no problem."

Lance stared at his hands.

Keith stared at the cars.

Legend stared at the idiots.


	14. Tied Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tie - A curved line connecting two notes that's played as one.

Lance lay on the hotel bed, sprawled out with his limbs making it seem like he was making a snow angel.

Keith sat outside, the wind had died down a bit and now he was drawing on a notepad, provided by the hotel.

Shiro sat on the couch with his coffee, watching T.V, he had a box of cornflakes on his lap.

Pidge was in the bathroom, trying to figure out how to work the foreign shower controls.

Hunk was scrolling though Instagram on his phone next to Shiro on the couch.

Hunk sighed and threw his phone at his bed, it bounced and fell onto the floor. He rolled his eyes and flopped onto the back of the couch, he looked over and stared at Lance from behind Shiro. Lance was staring at the ceiling with a pained expression on his face, Hunk knew that face. He stood up and walked over to him, he sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Hey man, what's with the face?" 

Lance propped himself up with his elbows, he contorted his face trying hard to fix it, and failing.

"What face?!"

Hunk smirked.

"Does it have anything to do with Keith?"

Lance blushed and flashed a face rendering him guilty, Hunk smiled and cocked an eyebrow.

"How'd you kno-I mEaN nO" Lance coughed into his hand and then regained his composure.

"No, it is not because of KEITH, why would anything have to do with him?" Lance seemed to spit Keith's name out, though the taste of it on his tongue was sweet.

Hunk made a face that read disbelief, "Right."

Lance huffed and then sighed, he stuck his arms out.

"Fine you got me!" 

Hunk smiled at him, "c'mere" he stuck his arms out. His face showed sympathy and delight in knowing he was right.

Lance pouted and leaned in, Hunk squished his face into his chest. The hug lingered for a bit before they broke apart.

"Good now buddy?" Hunk smiled.

"Better" Lance smiled back.

"I just, oh my God... I like him so much..." 

Lance threw his hands in the air and flopped backwards onto the pillow, sprawled out once more.

"Is that the truth Lance?"

Hunk knew Lance too well.

"No"

Hunk smiled.

"I love him." 

Hunk made a face that was something of a smile and a frown at the same time. He knew Lance, he'd been friends with the guy since they were only 5. 

Lance flirted with every living thing, but he didn't fall in love easily. Hunk had watched him fall in love just twice before and it had ripped him up both times. 

The first, a girl, called Molly. When Lance was a junior in high school. She ended up moving out of the country later that year because of her parent's work. Hunk had been there when Lance walked out from the school, got into the car and started bawling. 

The second, a guy, named Jax. when Lance was a freshman in College. He ended up cheating on him with a guy that was ten years older. Hunk had watched Lance stumble into his dorm room drunk, falling into Hunk's arms.

Hunk had been the one to hug him, and Hunk had been the one to text him every night when Lance was at his worst. Hunk had been the one to tell Lance when he needed to let go, and Hunk had been the one to watch Lance lose everything he loved.

Likewise Lance had been there for Hunk when he needed him.

"I love him Hunk" 

But this time, Hunk had a different feeling. He didn't know why yet, but he felt like Keith wouldn't have the same ending.

Hunk smiled "I know buddy."

Lance looked at him and smiled sadly.

"I kissed him."

"WAIT YOU WHAT!?" Hunk screeched.

"SHHH!" Lance jumped forward and put his hands over Hunks mouth.

"I kissed him."

Lance proceeded to tell Hunk everything that happened in the hallway when Shiro had asked for coffee at six-ish in the morning. About the girls and the in particular obnoxious girl. About how he hadn't moved, but Keith had.

"He doesn't like me like that though, it was for show."

Hunk shook his head, smile still shining. He got off the bed and ruffled Lance's hair, "competition is at three, we have 7 hours. We should go exploring, 'cmon go put some real clothes on." 

Lance stared at Hunk, blank faced and silent. He smiled "okay."

Hunk turned the T.V off as Pidge walked out of the bathroom. 

"WE'RE GOIN' ON A WALK! Lance go get Keith."

Lance gulped and got out of bed, he pulled on a pair of jeans and threw on a different shirt. He stumbled out onto the balcony, but stopped when he saw Keith drawing.

Lance watched him sketch, Keith's face was calm and seemed to study the lines. His eyes glowed and his hair hung loosely over his face, Lance stumbled. 

"Ah..KeItH?"

Keith looked up startled, he threw the notepad over the balcony and screamed. His arms flew up and he flipped his head at Lance, eyes wide.

Lance looked at him surprised, he tried not to laugh. He couldn't though and started laughing hysterically, he doubled over and clutched his side.

'Oh my God, you're face-ha ha you threw it over the edge- ha ha" 

Keith stared at him and then started laughing too. 

"OH my God Lance, don't scare me like that!" 

"You threw it over the fucking-" 

Lance was absolutely losing it, Keith wasn't far behind.

"Shiro walked out and raised an eyebrow "ah...?" 

"He threw it over the fucking ledge Shiro, he just WHOOP!" Lance made a throwing motion as too mimic Keith's earlier response.

Shiro stared confused at the two laughing boys, he smiled. 

Lance wiped a tear from his eye and poked Keith's shoulder "we're goin' on a walk now by the way." He smiled at Keith, who smiled back at him.

___________________________________

Keith walked next to Lance.

Lance walked next to Hunk.

Hunk walked next to Pidge.

Pidge walked next to Shiro.

Shiro walked next to the road.

They all walked down the busy street and smiled in the morning gleam.

It was 9:20 a.m. and their goal was to find someplace to have an actual breakfast.

Lance had a bit of a skip in his step swinging his arms and Keith walked silently next to him.

Keith was still thinking about earlier.

"just know, that uh... it was-"

"I know Lance, it was for show, thanks."

He kissed you.

He kissed you.

He kissed you, but not really.

Words resonated through his brain and he bit his lip trying to re-taste earlier's flavor. He couldn't find it though, the coffee had drowned it out and Keith was left wanting more. He wanted to taste blueberries again, he wanted to feel Lance's soft warm lips on his. Keith blushed and brought a hand up to his mouth. 

"You all right there newbie?" 

Lance seemed to take notice of Keith's strange pose and he knew exactly why he was doing it.

He kissed him.

He kissed him.

He kissed him, but for show.

Lance looked away "lo siento."

Shiro looked over and stared at Lance.

Keith looked at Lance as well, "what does that mean?" 

"I'm sorry."

"Oh...It's- It's really fine."

Keith shivered into his breath.

"Something happen between you two?"

They both jumped, then in unison they both shrieked.

"AH! NOPE!" "NOO!"

Shiro looked at Keith and gave him the older brother face™.

Keith rolled his eyes, he pursed his lips.

"그는 내게 키스했다."

Shiro's eyes grew.

"정말?!"

"그것은 쇼를위한 것이었다."

Shiro stared at him unconvinced.

Keith scowled and then continued to tell him about everything that happened after they left the room earlier. Shiro only smiled widely through it all. Lance stared at Keith, every time he spoke Korean it made Lance want to kiss him again. To taste the cinnamon fire burning in his throat. Pidge and Hunk only grinned devilishly towards each other.

"너는 그를 좋아하니?"

"아니."

Shiro raised an eyebrow at him in disbelief.

Keith sighed and covered his face as he continued walking.

"나는 그를 사랑합니다."

Shiro smiled and looked at him. 

As Hunk was to Lance, Shiro was to Keith. 

Shiro had seen Keith go through his very worst. Keith had only ever loved one person before, Legend. 

Legend had absolutely ruined Keith, even though it was years ago. Keith had never been able to get back into it. To watch Keith go through something so terrible, it was heartbreaking for Shiro to watch Keith never take a step forward.

Keith had never loved anyone else, and Shiro believed that he really never would.

But here he was, telling Shiro he'd fallen in love with some guy he'd only known for half a year. 

Shiro could cry tears of joy over his little brother, who had made it so far. Shiro was so proud of him, and was so happy that Keith was finally living the life he deserved.

He was free from Legend, or would be soon.

Shiro knew before Keith had even said a word that Keith was in love with Lance, and he already knew Lance's feelings.

Shiro smiled.

"나는 알고있다."

Lance looked at Keith who was now blushing profusely.

Keith looked up at him, and then looked away wide eyed when he found Lance already looking at him.

Lance's swinging fingers brushed Keith's, who jumped and folded his arms across his chest. 

Lance stared at him.

Right, he doesn't like you like that.

"GUYS! This place looks good." 

Pidge had stopped them in front of a modern looking cafe that seemed cozy on the inside. Shiro nodded and they all walked in.

They all got in line and ordered their makeshift breakfast.

Lance got a double chocolate muffin and a super sugary, whipped cream and caramel topped frappe.

Hunk got a cinnamon roll and a vanilla latte.

Pidge got key lime pie flavored yogurt and an italian soda.

Shiro got a plain bagel and a cappuccino.

Keith got an energy bar and black coffee.

They sat at separate tables, Lance and Keith at one.

Hunk and Pidge at another.

Shiro staring silently out the window mysteriously.

Keith stared into his coffee and stirred it silently, Lance watched him.

"Hey man." 

Keith looked up at him and when he did so his heart skipped a beat, he gulped willing away the blush visible on his cheeks.

Lance blushed too and smiled at him.

"I'm really sorry man, Te diría la verdad, pero-incluso tengo miedo de eso"

Keith stared at him.

Lance stared back.

Neither said a word, neither needed to. They both had come to their own conclusions on their feelings and it fucked them up. 

It fucked them up real good.


	15. Sforzando

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sforzando - Sudden emphasis.

Lance ended up getting two stir sticks stuck in his nose.

Keith had only stared at him unammused, but a smiled tugged at his lips.

Pidge walked over and yanked them out, ripping out some of Lance's nose hairs.

"OUCH PIDGE!" Lance screeched.

The whole cafe turned to look at him as Keith clamped his hand over Lance's mouth across the table.

"Sorry" Keith smiled awkwardly "mmf yesh shorry" Lance said muffled under Keith hands.

Keith scowled at him, and sat back down. He crossed his arms, and looked out the window.

Pidge smirked and walked over to Shiro, she whispered something into his ear. Shiro smiled and nodded his head, his smile however was somewhat tinted with evil. 

Keith stared at them, what were they up to?

Lance watched Keith, he was focused on the window now. 

Lance could see the reflection of Keith's face in it, his dark eyes glossed over and long gone. Keith bit his lip, and it threw Lance off.

Was he toying with him? How dare he, this fucking guy was murdering him daily.

Lance scowled and turned his head, he focused his attention on a cute employee wiping tables. He smirked and stood up, he walked over there and sat down suavely in one of the chairs at the table she was cleaning.

"¿hola hermosa cómo estás?"

"adiós feo que estoy haciendo horrible por cierto."

Lance gasped and placed a hand over his heart pretending to be shot.

"ooh una chica que habla español...Me está gustando"

The girl stopped what she was doing and stood to her full height, she looked at Lance and raised an eyebrow.

"Vete a la mierda."

Lance scowled and walked away, he huffed and sat back down across from Keith. He stared out the window and focused on the people passing by.

"Do you know her?" 

Lance shook his head and sipped his drink.

"What were you doing then?"

Lance smirked, but continued not to look at Keith.

"Flirting with her stupid."

Keith scowled, why was he upset? He had no reason or right to be, he wasn't Lance's boyfriend it wasn't his place to be.

But he was.

"Why?"

Lance turned to face him, a shit eating grin present on his face.

"Why, what's it to you?"

Keith taken aback by the question blushed and looked away, mouth twitching trying to find something to snap back.

What was it to him?

Lance smirked, and stared at Keith. Ocean eyes piercing through Keith and driving him insane.

"Nothing, it's fine, it's fine, do whatever you want."

Keith crossed his arms and scowled out the window.

"Jealous pretty boy?"

Keith huffed.

Yes.

"예, 오 세상에 예."

Lance raised an eyebrow and stared at him. Keith thought he looked a little impressed, he wondered why.

"What'd you say?" 

Lance was scowling now and staring hard at Keith.

"Why, what's it to you?" Keith smirked.

Lance looked at him scowling still, then his face slowly in morphed into a smile. Suddenly Lance was laughing at him.

"Okay pssh fine you win."

___________________________________

They were now walking back to the hotel, it was getting to be 11:00 a.m and Keith was wondering how they were gonna burn 4 hours. 

It took one hour to get to the competition site and they couldn't practice in the room, they'd get noise complaints.

They had 3 hours to fuck around with.

Lance skipped across the parking lot of the hotel.

"OH!" 

He suddenly shouted and nearly made Keith fall over.

"The notepad you dropped earlier, we can go get it!"

Keith stopped walking and Hunk bumped into him.

"Dude, what gives?" Hunk asked slightly annoyed.

Keith could not let Lance see that notepad.

Keith took off sprinting towards the general direction from where he threw it over.

Lance watched him, and then took off right behind him.

"BROO WHY YOU RUNNIN' WHAT'S ON THAT PAPER!?" 

Keith could hear Lance laughing right behind him, he sped up.

Keith's started to hurt in his side, and his scars just made it worse. 

Lance sped past him, he turned around and looked at Keith and stuck his tongue out, winking at him.

Keith stopped and fell onto the ground, he lay on the concrete. Knees bent up and arms at his sides.

"FOUND IT!" Lance screamed.

Oh my God here it comes, Keith put his hands over his face.

Silence, he moved his hands off his face and threw his arms out to the side.

Shiro and Hunk and Pidge had chosen to walk instead of run all the way across the lot, and we far from Keith and Lance by this point.

Keith heard footsteps, and suddenly Lance was leaning over him. Head upside down and sweaty hair falling in Keith's eyes.

"Nice drawing."

Keith blushed and put his hands back onto his face, he groaned.

"I like all the hearts."

Keith bit his lip, "they're not hearts...they're uhhh...daggers stabbing you...because I hate you."

Lance smirked "un-huh" his voice plagued with disbelief.

Lance pocketed the notepad and with it the drawing of Lance with hearts surrounding him.

"So, that's why you threw it over the edge." 

Lance laughed and Keith tried not to smile.

"Yup-AH I MEAN NO!" 

Keith hopped onto his feet and brushed himself off, at this time the rest of the group had caught up.

"What was that all about?" Shiro asked wondering if he should in the first place.

Keith shook his head.

Lance smirked.

Pidge suddenly spoke "guys, we got a few hours to kill, we should go swimming! There's a pool in the hotel, might as well take advantage of it!"

Lance threw a fist in the air, Hunk nodded, Shiro made a face that read "if we must."

Keith suddenly became sick to his stomach.

He couldn't go swimming, swimming meant having to take his shirt off and that would risk exposure of his scars.

Lance apparently noticed the face Keith was sporting because he stopped and looked at Keith. 

He cocked his head and mouthed "what" Keith looked at him and made another face.

Lance finally got it and made an "oh" with his mouth. Lance suddenly smiled and grabbed Keith's shoulder.

"Sounds like a great idea Pidge, right Keith!?" 

"Wha-"

"Great!"

___________________________________

Suddenly they were inside the hotel room and Lance was rummaging through his suitcase.

Hunk, Pidge, and Shiro had already gone down to the pool because the two others were taking so long.

Lance flipped around at Keith who was sitting on the edge of the bed wearing only a pair of red swim trucks. He had his arms hugged around himself, which was useless as Lance had already seen the worst.

Keith's dark hair hung low in his face and Lance realized how absolutely smitten for the boy he was.

Lance threw a plain black t-shirt at Keith, who caught it this time with his hands and not his face.

"Thanks" 

Keith muttered silently across the room.

"Yeah no problem...wait."

Lance got up and paused Keith in putting the shirt on. He placed his hand on Keith's waist, Keith shivered.

"Cold?" Lance inquired.

"No" Keith blushed and stared out the window.

Lance ran a finger threw one of the scars and Keith winced.

"Sorry...uh...Keith...nevermind."

Lance pulled his hand away and Keith stared at him.

"You'll be okay buddy." 

Lance ruffled his hair and Keith grumbled, Lance smirked.

Keith put the shirt on and slid off the bed, Lance watched him. Keith's trunks slipped, but Lance didn't move his eyes. 

"Oh my God, you have a tattoo?" Lance laughed when he saw Keith's tattoo of an oddly misshapen 'V' right under his v-line.

"Ah..." Keith blushed "Shit...you weren't supposed to see that."

Lance smirked "hoist up your trousers then, ho."

Keith smacked his arm and Lance giggled.

Keith grabbed a towel from the bathroom and covered his shoulders with it.

Lance followed suit and they both waddled out of the room and onto the stairs to the pool.

"You ever wonder what life would be like if you were a duck?" 

"Lance what the fuc-AHHHH-KK" 

Keith suddenly started falling down the stairs and came down with a thud on the bottom.

"OH MY GOD KEITH ARE YOU OKAY!?"

Lance was trying with all his might not to laugh, Keith stared up at him and scowled.

"That was all your fault."

Keith stood up and winced when he felt the new bruises.

"WHAT!?"

Lance threw his arms in the air.

"HOW!?" 

"'Cause your stupid question was so stupid it made me fall down the stairs."

"Psssh okaay."

Lance rolled his eyes.

"'Cmon you clumsy child."

Lance put his arm around his shoulder and guided him out. 

Keith looked at Lance's hand squeezing his shoulder, he could feel Lance's fingers on his skin and it was killing him.

Lance looked at Keith and noticed Keith burning up.

"Ah...Keith are you sure you're okay you look super red and you feel really hot."

"AH YEAH I'M FINE!" 

Keith yelled a little too loudly.

They both walked into the pool room, it was an average pool. Nothing fancy, but bigger than a pool from someone's backyard. Luckily they were the only people in there, just the Circle Of The Fifths.

Keith threw his towel onto a chair and stared at the water, he watched Pidge ride on Hunk's shoulders while Shiro splashed water at them.

"Ready?" 

Lance looked at him, he was smiling but Keith wasn't looking at his face. He was staring at the rock hard golden abs Lance sported.

"Ah YeAh" Keith's voice betrayed him.

Lance smiled and walked over to the pool he stepped down into it. 

"Actually it's not bad!"

Keith stared at him and took a step in, he waded in farther until he felt it.

The sting.

He reached forward and gripped Lance's arm, his fingernails digging dip into Lance's skin.

"Hnnng"

Keith winced and whimpered against the feeling of chlorine cascading over his cuts.

"Oh my gosh, I totally didn't even think about that! 'Cmere it's okay." 

Lance gripped Keith's hand and Keith squeezed it.

It felt like it was ripping him apart from the inside, but Lance was here and it was slightly better with him.

"Do you want to get out?"

Keith shook his head, eyes shut tight and fingers deep in Lance's arm.

He had to brave this, he had brought it upon himself.

"Keith to be honest it's probably not good for you, you could get an infection."

"It's infected."

Legend's words rang through his head.

Keith's eyes shot open and he nodded, Lance helped him out of the pool.

"What's wrong Keith?" Pidge asked from aside the pool ledge.

Lance made a face at her that said "don't ask."

She swam away.

Lance sat Keith next to the pool, then sat down next to him.

"I'm sorry" Keith said.

"It's fine" Lance smiled at Keith and suddenly there was a new atmosphere, a sudden emphasis in the word's "it's fine."

One where it was true with a smile and not a lie with a growl.


	16. Treble-Makers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Treble Clef - The clef above middle 'C'.

They had stayed at the pool for as long as they could and were now taking turns in the shower.

Pidge and Hunk had already finished their showers and were in their concert attire already, Shiro walked out of the bathroom and picked up his phone.

Shiro looked at the time and his eyes grew.

"SHIT, sorry guys I took too long, we have to leave in half an hour. That's my bad, uh....Keith, Lance..."

Shiro rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and held his towel up with the other hand. He averted his gaze from the two boys and muttered something.

"What?" Lance said loudly "didn't catch that."

"Um...I said, could you two take a shower together since we don't have enough time for separate ones."

Lance and Keith bore the same expression, blood red cheeks and ''you've got to be kidding me" faces.

Shiro knew the two wouldn't do anything, even if he wanted them to, they were too shy to pull anything.

Boy was he wrong.

Lance and Keith narrowed their eyes at Shiro, and Shiro whimpered.

"WE'RE BURNING TIME, LET'S GO!"

Shiro pushed them into the bathroom, Pidge's snickering heard in the back.

"Um..."

Lance muttered flashing a face the same color of that of a fire hydrant.

"Look, this is how we're gonna do this, we shower with our backs to each to other, and just walk and rotate when we need the water. WE DO NOT TURN AROUND!"

Lance looked at Keith and nodded not trusting his voice.

"Good..."

Lance stared at Keith.

"I'm gonna strip now."

"RIGHT, I'LL JUST TURN AROUND!"

Lance swiveled away from Keith, but behind him was a huge mirror and Lance felt his eyes gaze at the smooth crevices of Keith's back.

Keith started to take his pants, and with it his boxers, off. But Lance didn't take his eyes off Keith's milky skin.

"Oh God."

Lance breathlessly whispered to himself, there was Keith's ass. In all it's glory, Lance stared with an intensity that was almost concerning.

"You know, you could have just gotten into the shower, undressed and thrown your clothes out..."

Lance spoke, but it was very hard for him to.

"Shit."

Lance chuckled.

"I'm getting in now."

"I know"

Lance whispered his response making sure Keith didn't hear him and watched him get into the shower from the mirror.

"Strip Lance and then get in, I'll turn the water on once you're in."

"Eager aren't we Keithy-boy!" Lance laughed as he pulled his shirt over his head and threw it on top of Keith's.

"SHUT UP!" Keith peeked out of the curtain and threw a small hotel bottle of soap at him, it hit Lance's head.

"Keith no peeking" the hypocrite winked, Keith blushed and swiftly pulled the curtain back over.

Keith stood in the shower, blushing furiously.

How could Shiro set him up, this was so on purpose!

It was not on purpose.

Keith looked down at his tattoo that Lance had pointed out earlier.

To be honest, he had kinda forgotten it was there.

He was always too busy paying attention to the other decorations on his body to notice his own tattoo.

Keith looked at his hands and then placed his face in them.

"I'm getting in"

Lance's voice awakened Keith.

It's fine Keith, he's not here anymore, he can't hurt you any more, you have Lance.

Lance parted the curtain and stepped in, Keith shivered.

"'Kay go."

Keith turned the knob on the shower and the water sprayed out.

Keith was so short however that the burst of cold water only hit Lance straight on the back of his neck.

Lance winced and elbowed Keith in the process.

"OUCH GOD!"

"OH MY GOD KEITH SORRY YOU OKAY!?"

"Yeah I'm fine-DON'T TURN AROUND!"

Lance was almost turned around to see if Keith was okay before Keith had noticed his shift and stopped him.

"Mierda"

"똥"

Keith poked Lance in the ribs.

"Ow!"

"It's the soap dumb ass"

"Oh."

Lance took the soap and poured some into his hand, he watched it pool and rubbed his hands together.

Lance ran his fingers through his hair.

Keith huffed shakily behind him.

"L-lance...can you...there's a bit of my hair I can't reach, can you do it...for me... please?"

Lance stopped what he was doing, he heard Keith's quiet self-conscious voice ring through the bathroom.

This cute little boy.

"Yeah"

"You can turn around, but don't look down, keep your eyes up."

Lance nodded, he turned around slowly and took in all the beauty of Keith's gorgeously toned butt.

He was already failing.

"I SAID EYES UP!"

Lance looked up to see Keith who had turned his head.

"Says the one who turned to look at me."

Lance smirked cockily and Keith turned even redder than he already was, if that was even possible.

Keith didn't move his head though, he just stared into Lance's eyes.

"키스"

Keith turned his whole body around at Lance.

Lance looked at Keith with wide eyes, the steamy shower suddenly intensifying in the steam.

"Keith what are you doing, you said no turning around!"

"나를"

Keith cupped his hands around Lance's cheeks.

Lance gulped and tried to move away, but his body wouldn't listen.

Lance's eyes trailed down, down, downward towards foreign lands where he wasn't allowed to be.

Keith smirked, "I see you looking."

Lance smirked back "I see you looking too."

Keith leaned forward and placed his lips gently on Lance's ear, he whispered seductively.

"Got me there."

Lance could feel his low gravely voice pound through his veins, lips touching his ear.

Keith's lips.

Keith's.

Fucking.

Lips.

Lance couldn't take it anymore, he grabbed Keith's face and pulled him closer until only their noses touched.

Keith looked at him expectantly, his cheeks red. His eyes large and lips plump, Lance wanted it all.

A loud knock on the door rattled the two boys back into reality.

Lance jumped and with that slipped and brought down Keith with him.

THUD.

"Guys, you okay in there?"

"Yup!"

Lance's voice was high and it squeaked out his response to Shiro.

Keith snickered through his shit-eating grin.

"Shut up mullet!"

Lance brought his fist down on the top of Keith's head.

Keith giggled and it thrummed through Lance's body.

"Okay, I knocked to tell you to be done in 5."

"'Kay thanks Shiro!"

Shiro's footsteps faded away and Lance figured he was gone.

"Get off me you're too close..."

Keith tried to pick himself up off of Lance but ended up slipping and slamming back onto Lance.

"Ungh!"

Lance twitched.

Keith moved back and tried to slide off Lance but in the process, his dick carresed Lance's.

A moan escaped from Lance's mouth and Lance clamped a hand over it.

His eyes read terror and embarrassment but Keith's eyes read lust and desire.

Keith smirked and slid back up on Lance, dragging himself up Lance slowly.

"Nnnngh Keith, no we can't, we need to get out."

Keith smirked at how Lance was trembling beneath him.

He loved the face Lance was making.

He wanted to see it whenever he wanted.

But Lance was right, they had no time.

And another thing, neither had spoken out about their feelings.

And both were still in the dark about how the other felt.

Keith stopped and felt his eyes grow wide.

"Oh my God."

He stood up and got out of the shower, dripping wet and only half washed.

"Oh my God."

Keith shivered and hugged himself.

He felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes and suddenly he was bawling, he fell to his knees and held his face in his hands.

"Keith- what- are you okay?"

Keith's shivering became more violent and he shook uncontrollably, tears cascading down.

Lance turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, he grabbed a towel and tied it 'round himself.

He picked off another and unfolded it, he placed it around Keith.

"Oh my God, you're shaking so roughly, Keith are you crying?"

Keith didn't say anything only heaved shaky sobs and trembled on the floor.

"Keith"

Lance knelt down in front of Keith and pulled him in. He wrapped his arms around Keith and hugged him in his chest.

"What's wrong?"

Keith's tears were hot and burned Lance's skin, but he held him still.

"I'm so-sorry"

Keith managed to wrestle out of his mouth.

"I'm so-sorry"

Lance looked down at Keith, he softly kissed the top of his head continuously.

"I forced myself onto you, I'm turning into him!"

"Who?"

Although Lance knew the answer and although Lance didn't want to hear the answer, he asked the question.

"Legend."

Keith shook in Lance's arms and Lance hugged him closer.

"Hey, it's okay, you're not turning into him. You just had you're moment, I get it. It was hot, I'm super attractive.

Lance tried to lighten the mood, and it worked a little bit. He felt Keith laugh through his crying softly into Lance's stomach.

"Yeah you are."

Lance figured he wasn't supposed to hear the last part, but he smiled to himself.

Keith stared up at him and Lance looked back at him.

Lance's smile melted away, and Keith was caught off guard for a minute.

Keith made a face that resembled that of a confused puppy, cocking his head.

Lance leaned forward and brought his lips down to meet Keith's.

This kiss however was different than before.

Before was rash and hot this one was soft and gentle.

This kiss was a "I'm sorry, but I'm here now" kiss.

Blueberries and cinnamon combined together in the hot, stuffy room. It swirled into a beautiful smoothie in their mouths.

It was a soft kiss, partly because Keith had just been crying and there were tears in between their lips. Partly because they were just in the shower and were wet and their skin was rejuvenated. Partly because of the steam making things soggy in the room.

Whatever the case, it was slow and silent.

Keith wanted it to last forever.

Lance wanted it to last forever.

And it probably would've except Shiro banged on the door again surprising the two again.

"GUYS! WE LEAVE IN TEN!"

Keith and Lance stared at each other.

Lance smiled.

He wiped a tear from Keith's cheek with his thumb.

Keith smiled.

He rested his head on Lance's bare chest.

This moment was enough for them, it was enough for the time being. This kiss was real this time they both knew that much, they didn't know the degree to which it was real.

They were satisfied with what they had though, and right now satisfaction outweighed the truth.


	17. Wrong Note

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Note - The sound a beat makes.

Shit happened.

Keith and Lance had kissed...again. 

They both knew something had happened, and they both knew they needed to talk about it. 

But at this current moment in time Lance and Keith sat in the back of Shiro's car on the road in the middle of a thirty minute ride to the competition site.

The rest of the car knew that something had happened between the two as well, because usually Keith and Lance would bicker in the back seat but neither spoke a word.

Pidge turned and looked at the two with worry written clear on her face, Shiro put a finger to his lips and Pidge nodded. Hunk remained silent.

Pidge placed her earbuds in, and Hunk followed her deciding to ignore the two boys in the back.

Lance and Keith sat as far from each other as possible, blush on tips of cheeks and eyes out the window.

Keith sighed softly and stared at the ground, Lance looked at him.

Lance put his hand out and placed it on Keith's hand which rested on his knee.

"Keith..."

Keith shrugged his hand off.

Sure things had been fine this morning, but when Keith had left the bathroom he had realized. 

He had forced Lance into this.

Lance didn't like him, let alone love him, how could anyone love Keith?

"Keith..."

"I'm sorry Lance."

Keith had crossed boundaries, crossed lines this morning and he didn't deserve shit.

"Legend was right."

Lance suddenly grabbed Keith's face and tilted him to look Lance in the eye, Lance's face read anger.

"WHAT THE FUCK!? NO KEITH YOU ARE AMAZING!" He whisper yelled.

Keith didn't feel amazing.

Keith peered at Lance and Lance peered at Keith. Keith felt Lance go a bit limp.

"This conversation is not over, we WILL talk about this when we get somewhere more private."

Lance let go of Keith's face and Keith fell back to look at the ground.

His charcoal hair hung loosely over him hiding his complexion, which Keith was thankful for as he could fill tears brimming on the edges of his eye, threatening to spill over.

Keith looked out the window, the scenery whipping past him.

He watched the way the trees flew by in a flurry of leaves, a flash of green.

He thought of Pidge.

He watched the way the sun peaked out from the clouds, a beam of yellow.

He thought of Hunk.

He watched the way the dark pavement provided a ground for them, a flicker of black.

He thought of Shiro.

He watched the way the sky stood high above everything, swallowing it all up, a stream of blue.

He thought of Lance.

He thought about the first time he met Lance, how he was such an asshole to Keith.

He thought about the first time he met Pidge, how she had accepted that Lance was an asshole but stood by him anyway.

He thought about the first time he met Hunk, how his first thought had been that he was presented with a cinnamon roll in human form.

He thought about how perfect everyone coincided, hell even Shiro fit in with them!

Keith watched the way the flames from a nearby campfire billowed into the sky, a flare of red.

He thought of himself.

He watched how it reached up and tried to touch the sky but each time it couldn't get high enough.

Lance was the sky and Keith was the fire.

They didn't mix.

As sky is untouchable to fire, Lance was untouchable to Keith, or was at least.

He didn't know anymore, all he knew was the color blue.

Blue, blue, blue, blue sweatshirt, blue jeans, blue nails, blue eyes.

And then the blue melded into red.

Red, red, red, red jacket, red shorts, red scars, red lips.

Keith didn't really know why he had started an association with colors between his group of friends but it was significant somehow.

Especially for him and Lance.

___________________________________

They had made it to the competition site, a modern looking towering concert hall in the middle of a downtown in a foreign state.

Keith was overwhelmed and he shivered on the concrete in nervous suffocation.

Lance stared at him, it was fairly warm out with only a small every now and then breeze. 

How was he cold?

"You cold Keith?"

Keith turned and looked at Lance, his eyes said he was very cold but he shook his head no.

"Sure?"

Keith nodded as he wrapped his arms around his chest.

They were all wearing formal black and white attire and Keith's hair was combed and gelled back.

It reminded Lance of Yuri from Yuri On Ice, his heart pounded violently in his chest.

Shiro sent a smile and a nod at the group and with instruments in their case they entered the building.

There were so many people in the building, students all walking around with instruments finding their way around.

As soon as Keith walked inside his throat closed up even more, he'd never been this nervous before.

He hated it, made him feel weak.

Shiro shot him a look that read concern.

"너 괜찮 니?"

Keith looked at him, bit his lip and nodded, Shiro smiled softly in response.

Lance felt his heart turn to mush inside his heart, Keith biting his lip was his kryptonite.

They all made their way to a practice room with their name on it.

Literally.

On the wall next to the door was a clear case holding a sheet of paper with "Garrison University Orchestra" written on it.

They walked into the room, it was fairly large and when the door shut, perfectly quiet.

Keith liked that part.

"Okay team, we've got some time to practice so let's use ALL OF IT!"

Shiro through a fist in the air smiling, Pidge follwed suit, then Hunk, Lance, and finally Keith.

Shiro ruffled Keith's hair, Keith growled.

"Guys did you know that when I'd have concerts, I ruffle Keith's hair for good luck. It's tradition and I swear it works!" Shiro smirked.

It was true, when Keith and Shiro were kids they'd have concerts and recitals often and Shiro would always mess Keith's hair up before his or Keith's bit. It was cute when they were kids and Keith had always giggled when Shiro did it, but now it seemed inappropriate and childish.

"You just want an excuse for people to mess my hair up and make me grumpy!"

Keith grumbled but a smile pulled on his lips.

"Maaybeee...but it never hurts to try!"

Shiro leapt forward and tried to muss Keith's hair, but Keith dodged it and laughed out instead "what ever happened to using up all the practice time?"

Lance smiled at Pidge and Hunk as they walked towards Keith cornering him and then they all attacked. Everyone simultaneously ruining Keith's hair, it was a team effort. Keith giggled and tried to get away, but just slumped farther down on the ground.

Keith felt Shiro's hands, large and rough fingers pulling on his gelled mess.

Keith felt Hunk's hands, large but soft fingers tearing on his dark mop.

Keith felt Pidge's hands, small and soft fingers grasping his obsidian locks.

Keith felt Lance's hands, by far his favorite so far. Delicate long, but soft fingers gripping his mullet and running them along his scalp.

Keith shivered and they all stopped laughing, Keith stood up. His hair a jumbled mess and standing out in weird places making him so unprofessional looking but he didn't give a shit.

He took out his viola and stood up next to the stand, he placed the bow on the strings at the ready.

Lance suddenly whispered towards Shiro.

"Esa fue una buena idea Shiro él está sonriendo ahora"

Shiro smiled and winked at Lance who smiled back.

___________________________________

Keith, Lance, Hunk, Pidge, and Shiro stood in the on deck area off stage.

In exactly two minutes they'd be going on stage and performing for an audience and a table of judges for stage one of the competition.

Lance was giddy.

Keith was shaking.

Hunk looked as if he might throw up.

Pidge bounced around next to Lance.

Shiro stood calmly.

Keith knew that his brother had done this his whole life, been doing piano recitals and concerts since he was very little. He became a famous pianist and composer at a young age and he was playing his own piece this time. But Keith found it a bit creepy that Shiro wasn't at all in the slightest bit fazed.

Keith stared up at him, he always got nervous before one of these.

He'd done it a thousand times, he'd played his viola almost as long as Shiro had played he piano. He'd played almost as many times in front of an audience as Shiro had and yet every time it left him terrified right before he went on.

"What a pathetic excuse for a man."

Nope, nope, not now, you have shit you need to do. You have to be brave, you have to give it your all and you have to make everyone proud.

For Hunk.

For Pidge.

For Shiro.

For Coran.

For Allura.

For baby Ren.

For Lance.

For Himself.

Not for his shitty adoptive parents.

Not for the shitty kids at school who called him terrible things.

Not for Legend.

It sunk in, Keith didn't play his viola for Legend, at least not anymore he didn't.

Keith smiled and suddenly felt a weight lift from his chest, and he sucked in a breath of cold air.

Keith didn't play for Legend, Keith played for himself and the people that cared.

Lance looked at him and smiled.

"Me alegra que estés sonriendo de nuevo."

Keith beamed at him, and Lance knew this was something different, Lance smiled brightly back.

Shiro nodded towards the sign above the doors onto stage that flashed numbers counting down.

"Ready to kick some ass guys!" Shiro whispered shouted and the group smiled and shouted "Yeah!"

Lance leaned over and kissed Keith on the cheek quickly and inconspicuously, both boys smiling brilliantly.

Shiro pushed open the doors and they walked onto the stage, smiling unanimously.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that this was posted two days after it was supposed to, my laptop had an issue and deleted all of my progress after I was almost done!....I only cried a little bit, but thanks for all the support I've been getting. To be honest it makes my day when I read what you guys have to say, so thank you and many apologies!


	18. Shut Up And Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Playing an instrument - this skill requires courage to be able to play in front of others, confidence to be able to believe in your abilities. Talent to be able to present a qualifying show, passion to be able to have fun while doing so.

Lights

Bright lights.

Lots of bright lights.

Lots of bright lights blinding poor Keith.

Lots of bright lights blinding poor Keith who was already blind.

Lots of bright lights blinding poor Keith who was already blind due to the fact that he was terrified to play.

It was overwhelming.

Keith just wanted to go home and cuddle into a ball on the couch, maybe Lance would join him.

Keith walked calmly to his place in the center of the stage.

His internal thoughts screamed at him, but his face didn't move.

Keith looked at Lance across the stage, Lance winked and Keith blushed.

His cheek tickled at the kiss Lance had planted on it a second ago.

Keith brought his viola up and rested it on his shoulder.

The room was silent.

So quiet, he was afraid his breathing was too loud.

Keith had done this kinds of things many a times and every time he nearly had a panic attack. 

Especially after Legend.

Before everything fell apart, Keith would always see Legend smiling brightly at him in the crowd and his nerves would dissolve.

Keith looked out into the audience half expecting to see that radiant smile, but all he saw were the blank stares of hundreds of adults. 

Why did he play viola in the first place?

Shiro took a breath moving up with it, and as he came down time slowed.

As soon as Shiro had fallen down with his breath the room erupted into sound.

The group starting together perfectly and Keith looked up for a split second at Lance again.

He was smiling.

A big bright smile that was better than Legend's, this one was real.

Keith smiled too.

Keith felt his nerves dissipate and he fell into the music, his eyes closed and fingers interchanging from memory. He loved this feeling, the feeling of letting go, the feeling of being in a different realm. One where pain and heartache didn't exist, only the carefree sounds of strings vibrating and resonating through the air.

Oh yeah, that's why he played viola. 

Keith's viola was a part of him, a key piece of his soul. Music was a part of him, a necessary element in his life. These two hand in hand played the role of Keith's favorite part of him, his passionate side.

Keith was soft, Shiro knew that, Lance knew that now too. 

As Keith played he was hit with an epiphany, only a few days after he met Lance his guard was down.

Did that mean, no, I mean could it?

Keith thought about it, he didn't let people get close to him after Legend. His walls were high and indestructible. But Keith had been so fast to knock them down for Lance, was he that desperate.

Desperation, no.

Keith had loved Lance from the very beginning, Keith did not believe love at first sight nor did he believe in fate. But now he was considering the very real possibility of both.

Keith chuckled into the chin rest and suddenly he was filled with energy.

He fell in tune with his viola and melded into the music suddenly very aware of everything, as if his sound sensory had heightened.

He could hear Shiro's huffing while he breathlessly clashed his fingers onto the piano keys, but with a somewhat elegant sort of manner.

He could hear Hunk's bow stride across the strings creating a low rumble like thunder, and the way his neck bobbed with the sounds.

He could hear Pidge's little fingers bounce on the strings and the way the bass made the floor shake as if they were in an earthquake.

He could hear Lance's mouth crack a smile as his delicate fingers gracefully trembled on the string, making a strange wobbling sound that seemed to distill the piece.

He could hear his own breathing as it rised and fell with the up and down strikes of his bow, the wooden chin rest softly poking into his cheek with a hushed squish.

Keith looked at his music as he realized they were coming to an end, as if he had telepathically spoken it everyone raised their eyes and looked at Shiro.

3 measures.

2 measures.

1 measure.

Last note.

It was a whole note.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Silence.

Keith mentally screamed in his head, we ended together! 

They had started and stopped together, not to mention stayed with each other the whole song. He was so happy.

He didn't move from his position until Shiro stood up and took a bow, then the rest of them bowed and suddenly the room erupted into clapping and cheering.

Keith looked at the judges table, they looked pleased.

Keith looked at Shiro, he beamed at him and Shiro mirrored him.

He nodded and everyone followed Shiro off stage to the sound of hundreds of satisfied audience members.

When the got off stage a tall elderly looking man, who appeared as if he had fallen down the stairs at one point that day, came up to them.

"Tha-at w-was b-r-r-i-illia-ant!" His voice shook when he spoke and Keith quietly smiled and thanked him.

Apparently they must've done fairly well as the old man wasn't the only one to come up to them and compliment them, many others confronted them as they sat in the large lobby like waiting space waiting for the results of stage one.

It was 6:45 when the judges called all the groups back on stage to hear the results.

out of the twenty-four schools participating, only twelve would proceed to stage two.

They nervously shuffled onto stage and stood hand in hand as if it might help them win.

Lance squeezed Keith's hand gently and Keith squeezed back.

One of the judges stood from the table and adjusted his round glasses, he looked tired and ready to leave. He cleared his throat and suddenly spoke mundanely but surprisingly loud. 

"The twelve qualifying schools for stage two of the Altean Orchestra Competition of 2018 are as follows..."

The man proceeded to list them off.

Different groups smiling and giggling softly to one another when they heard their schools name called.

Keith got more nervous as the list got longer.

Keith counted in his head the amount of schools called and Lance gripped Keith's hand harder.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

"...Garrison University..."

Keith's smile erupted on his face and he felt Lance move his hand from holding it to intertwining his fingers. Keith looked at him and smiled up at him, he felt the rest of the team's smiles too.

___________________________________

"SI, SI, SI, GANAMOS!" 

Lance was singing loudly in the car a loop of winning excitement that he was making up.

Keith laughed and playfully pushed him.

"Gah, shut up we know!"

Lance giggled at him and the rest of the car laughed along with the two.

Despite the euphoria from winning, they were starving and had a thirty minute car ride through the dark back to the hotel.

It was too late to go to a restaurant so Shiro just drove through a fast food place and they all ate their french fries in peace.

They were all tired but there was no way they could sleep in the car with the energy from playing pumping through their veins.

It was like coffee, no more like drugs.

The only sounds were of the car driving along asphalt and paper bags crumpled as they shoved food into their faces, until Shiro suddenly spoke.

"Keith, 너 자랑 스럽다."

Keith looked up from his burger and stared at Shiro in the mirror. He felt tears on his eyes and shook them away, he smiled.

"나는 항상 였다"

Lance looked at Keith then Shiro and then back at Keith, he smiled.

"What'd you say to him!? Look he's smiling like an idiot, Keith...are you crying!?"

Shiro laughed as Keith punched Lance in the shoulder.

Pidge and Hunk smiled too and soon the whole car was just one giant smiling mess.

___________________________________

"Keeeeiiiith." 

Keith woke up to his name being cooed softly, he looked to his left and found Lance with his head leaning on his shoulder.

Keith smiled, Lance was sleep talking and he had said Keith's name.

"Keeeeiiith you should smile more, it makes you look..."

Keith stared at Lance and listened intently.

"...cute..."

Keith blushed as his eyes grew, and then Shiro spoke scaring Keith half to death as he was so focused on Lance a second ago.

"Guys we're here."

He'd only been asleep for a little under twenty minutes.

Keith bent his head and whispered into Lance's ear, "Lance wake up, we're here."

Lance shivered and opened his eyes slowly, when he registered the situation he suddenly flung himself off Keith.

"BRO! DON'T WHISPER THINGS INTO ME...your hot breath was tickling me..." Lance whispered the last part.

"Well don't fall asleep on me then next time." Keith smirked.

"Oh I did that-uh..sorry" 

"Nah, you're cool."

"'Kay."

"What were you dreaming about?"

Keith's voice held a slight tinge of smugness and Lance didn't like it, he suddenly remembered his dream and his eyes shot open like they had been a minute ago before.

"NOTHING!"

Hunk, Pidge, and Shiro had already gotten out of the car and were making their way to the trunk to retrieve their instruments.

"Didn't sound like nothing..."

Lance watched the way Keith's smirk tugged on his rosy cheeks and Lance thought he was going to suffocate.

"What do you mean?"

"You were saying my name."

Lance's face flashed terror and Keith relished over that.

Shiro opened the trunk and looked at Keith and Lance, he raised an eyebrow when they both shut up instantly. Shiro took out the instruments "five minutes" he threw a key card at Keith who nodded solemnly. Shiro closed the trunk leaving the two to continue off where they were.

Lance seemed a little apprehensive at first and then spoke.

"That's all I said?"

Lance mentally slapped himself, shit now I sound like I'm hiding something, I mean I am but he doesn't need to know, he thought.

"No."

Lance wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

"What did I say?"

Keith already unbuckled moved towards Lance, shit-eating grin present on his pale face.

Lance had to refrain from saying something cheesy like that Keith's skin glowed under the moonlight and made him shine like a pearl.

"Not telling."

Lance looked at Keith, Keith was making him live with not knowing what he had say to him in his sleep. It could've been something small, or it could've been the biggest confession ever.

It was both.

Lance looked at him and then smiled.

"You really are the devil."

Lance leaned forward and took hold of the white shirt collar, he pulled Keith closer until their noses touched.

Lance closed his eyes and shifted as his lips got closer to Keith's but when he reached the destination it was a hand he felt instead.

Lance opened his eyes "what?!"

"Shh calm down, I just want to talk about this so I know what's happening okay?" 

Keith's smile was soft and Lance nodded back smiling once more.

"Okay then talk." Lance spoke.

"I like you" Keith whispered through the dark.

"I like you too" Lance responded.

Keith smiled and then he frowned and ran a hand through his hair.

"I think I might-"

"I love you too."

Lance cut him off, but as soon as the words left Lance's mouth he replaced them with Keith's lips.

When they parted Keith smiled nervously and Lance giggled at him, he hugged him.

Keith let Lance run his fingers through his hair and Keith smiled, he hadn't felt this way in forever. He liked it better this time however, it felt nicer this time, sweeter.

Keith backed out of Lance's arms and looked at a smiling Lance who bent down and kissed him on the forehead.

"I like us better like this."

Keith whispered through a smile.

"Me too."


	19. Sound And Ocean Waves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sound Waves - Sound is projected through waves and those are fittingly called sound waves.

The bed was warm.

Neither of the boys could sleep, tonight they'd finally done what they should've done a long time ago.

Lance was spooning Keith from behind and Keith would never admit it but he was enjoying being the little spoon.

The way Lance hugged him from behind, holding him close and breathing heavily into his ear and on his neck made Keith's brain go haywire.

He was sure Lance had the same thoughts because he was breathing awfully quick, Keith smirked.

He smirked because he knew that he was the one that made him do that.

He smirked because someone loved him and that someone was someone that he loved.

He smirked because he had come so far and even when Lance had seen the worst, the beautiful boy stuck by him.

He smirked because he knew he didn't deserve him, but Lance thought otherwise.

He smiled because he was happy, finally.

Lance breathed a shaky breath into Keith's ear which made him shiver.

Keith turned over slowly in the small hotel bed, it was very late and everyone was passed out in their beds.

Everyone but Keith and Lance.

Keith finally turned over, looked at Lance and brought a hand up.

He caressed Lance's cheek and Lance smiled at him softly.

Keith smiled back and then leaned forward a little bit and kissed Lance slowly.

They could do this now.

Wherever, whenever because they knew each other's feelings now.

And good God they loved that.

Keith had sat in the car with Lance only an hour ago when Lance had flipped the switch.

Keith remembered only a few months ago when Lance had slept over making sure Keith didn't wake up with more decorations.

"Love me" Lance whispered, was that a question or a command?

Keith knew now.

It was an invitation.

Keith had always liked blueberries, maybe not his favorite food but now it was without a doubt his favorite flavor, he craved it.

When you kissed Lance it was like kissing a a blueberry pie, soft and mushy and sweet.

Keith broke off the kiss slowly, letting their sticky lips peel apart from each other.

Lance giggled quietly and Keith was reminded of how in love with him he was.

Keith poked Lance in the cheek.

Lance had been the one to say it, they were in the car an hour ago and Lance had looked at him with cherry cheeks.

"Keith, be my boyfriend."

No stupid in between words, just straight to the point.

"Lance, only if you'll be mine."

They had giggled, a giggle that was filled with giddiness and nervousness. Something a ten year old girl might give off when cutie pie Jake asked them for a hug.

Keith stared at Lance in the present time and was filled with his memories of him and Lance.

He hadn't even known Lance for a whole year but they had already been through so much together.

Lance poked Keith in the cheek.

Keith remembered his first thought on Lance.

The boy was tall and pretty, Keith thought his skin looked smooth. When the boy opened his eyes Keith felt a wave crash over onto him, so blue, he thought. And the way he was standing right in the doorway with the hallway light beating on him made him seem like an angel.

"What are you thinking about." 

Lance whispered and Keith moved his eyes slowly to look at Lance, instead of honestly saying what he was thinking he said something else.

"Remember when I first met you and you only bragged to me about your vibrato?"

Lance whimpered and put his hands over his face. 

"I was trying to impress you!"

Keith snickered "seriously?"

Lance nodded, obviously embarrassed.

"Remember when you were drunk on the day right before classes begun and you fell onto my feet when I opened the door and nearly gave me a heart attack?"

Lance parted his hands and looked at Keith, "I did that."

Keith nodded "must've been really drunk, I thought you were a dead body."

Lance groaned and put his hands back where they were.

"Remember when you called me..." Keith cleared his throat and then with the best impersonation of Lance he could muster said "hardcore newbie, you are one edgy edgelord."

Lance cringed physically and Keith snickered. 

"I SaId ThAt?!" 

Lance was dying.

Keith proceeded onwards anyway.

"Remember when I was practicing the next morning and you called me bro and pathetic?"

Lance froze.

He remembered Keith in the cafe telling him Legend's last words.

Lance heard the words before Keith did.

He had called Keith pathetic.

Sure in the past, they were cool now but...

Lance moved his hands and placed them on Keith's cheeks.

"Mi amor, I'm so sorry, no lo sabía, my sweet baby."

Keith smiled sorrowfully.

"It's fine...by the way have I ever told you I love when you speak to me with Spanglish?" 

Lance blushed.

"No, don't think so."

Keith smirked.

"Oh, I love when you speak to me with Spanglish."

Lance hugged Keith closer into his chest, they stayed like that for a minute and then Keith popped his head out like a snail coming out of it's shell and spoke.

"Remember when you dared me to play in the courtyard and then you got pissed and ripped it out of my hands cutting my face?...Why...why did you even do that anyway?"

Keith was suddenly serious and he looked thoroughly confused, as he rightfully should be Lance thought.

"I...was jealous..."

"Of my playing?"

Keith smirked.

"So you finally admit I'm a better player!"

"WHAT NO!? I was jealous of the attention...not that I wanted to be the center of attention. No I just didn't want you to be, the way people looked at you. Like oh look at that gorgeous guy playing his instrument fantastically. I didn't like that, I wanted to be the one...the only one to be able to see the gorgeous guy playing his instrument fantastically.

Keith stared at Lance dumbfound.

"Does that make sense?"

Keith kissed Lance quickly and then rubbed his cheek with his hand, rubbing away the makeup he had put over it to hide it.

"Yeah I know."

Lance whispered when the scar was finally in sight.

Keith looked at him strangely, he cocked his head like a puppy and Lance had to help himself not choke on a lung.

"When we slept together, I MEAN!"

Lance blushed into his hands groaning simultaneously.

Keith laughed.

"When I slept at your house when you asked me to, I woke up before you and you were laying on my chest and it took all my energy not to kiss you. Anyway that's beside the point, the makeup had smudged...yeah."

Keith smirked.

"Remember when we had to do chamber groups and Pidge and Hunk had placed a bet to see if you picked me or Nyma?"

Lance looked at Keith suddenly with a face of utter seriousness.

"I picked you."

"You picked Nyma."

"No, I picked you I just asked Nyma first because if I came straight to you I thought you'd think I was weird."

Keith looked at Lance stunned, "Lance."

Lance interrupted him "remember that one time when I followed you to your room when you had a panic attack?"

"It's what started this whole mess."

They both smirked.

"I dunno if you heard about this but once in class when it was silent I was thinking about you and I said, be gone gay thoughts, loud enough for the whole class to hear. It was embarrassing I'll tell you that, they laughed, Pidge was there."

Lance blushed.

"You thought about me?"

"Oh all the time."

"Remember when we all had that mini coming out session and when you said you were gay I mentally squealed."

Keith smiled "really?"

"Yup."

"Remember when you cornered me in the bathroom four minutes before showtime to try and see my scars but I was dressing?"

Lance groaned again, as he had been the entire time they'd be talking.

"Remember when you called me an angry ball of angst?-"

Keith paused suddenly and Lance opened his eyes from his cringing motion. 

"What?"

"Hey Lance..."

"Whaaat...?" 

Lance was suspicious and he stared skeptically at Keith.

"Are you sure you're Cuban?"

Lance looked at him confused.

"Uh...yeah what else would I be?"

Keith smirked devilishly and Lance didn't even see it coming.

"Beautiful."

Lance stared at Keith and blinked a few times and then it registered "HEYYY! That's my pickup line! How'd you get that?!" Lance's cheeks said he liked it though.

"You were drunk again and you used that on me, nearly lost my shit."

Lance smirked.

"Remember when you picked slow?"

Lance nodded, "was it the right one?"

Keith nodded, "most definitely."

"I remember I walked into the orchestra room once and you said something in Spanish, it was like...Mald it a sea kay erees mooey lindo quando sonwrys?"

Lance nearly fell out of the bed at Keith's horrid Spanish, but he also thought it was kinda cute.

"Maldita sea que eres muy lindo cuando sonríes."

"YEAH THAT!"

Lance smirked.

"I probably did say that, it means damn you are so cute when you smile."

Keith looked at him "wait seriously?"

Lance nodded smiling.

"You've said a lot of things to me in Spanish."

"And I'll continue to."

"What do you say?"

Lance smiled at ran a hand through Lance's hair.

"Most of the time, it's loving thoughts or a plead to be with you."

Keith blushed and then as if he was a little girl grinned, Lance stared wide eyed and almost ripped his heart out of his chest.

"Remember when I got off my motorcycle at Shiro's and you stared at me? 

Remember when we talked quietly in the dark at Shiro's? 

Remember when I drove us out to the cornfield and you clung tight to me?

Remember when we danced slowly to Spanish under the stars? 

Remember when you told me about how you would dance with the stars? 

Remember when we got into the competition and you threw me into the air and kissed me on the cheek? 

Remember when you tickled me and I was really laughing? Remember how I asked you stay and you did? 

Remember how we flirted with each other the next morning and I almost spilled coffee on myself? 

Remember when I told you I loved someone and you thought it wasn't you?

Remember when we met baby Ren for the first time and Allura told me that I should marry someone who was good with kids and I said I had to find someone that'd want to   
marry me first and you looked at me all sad?

Remember when you got yelled at by Shiro telling you to crescendo but you said that all that was happening was a decrescendo in your dick?

Remember when you said we had shared a bed but left out the details in order to cause chaos?

Remember when I accidentally admitted how hot you were and you nearly fell over?

Remember when you constantly flirted with me in the car making me die again and again?

Remember when I fell asleep on you and accidentally sleep talked and admitted I loved your voice?

Remember when I woke up crying and you comforted me and made sure I was okay?

Remember when you let me hold your hand so I wouldn't be scared? Smooth boy.

Remember when I admitted you drove me insane but not directly and I scared you half to death?

Remember when you lent me your sweatshirt when I was cold the next morning?

Remember when you blatantly called me cute but I didn't know how to react?

Remember when you kissed me in the hallway because you were jealous?

Remember when I was on the balcony and you scared me causing me to chuck the notepad over?

Remember when we later went and got food and I was jealous?

Remember when we came back and you saw that I had been drawing you with hearts all over?

Remember when we went swimming and you stayed beside me making sure I was okay?

Remember when we had to take a shower together and I fell into temptation?

Remember when I fell for you?"

Lance looked at Keith taking all of his one breath speech in.

"Thanks" Keith smiled "there's so much more, so much, but Lance thank you for it all. Thank you for the memories and the ones to come."

Lance smiled down at him "you're welcome mi amor."

Lance kissed Keith.

"Thank you for this memory the most." Keith said when they parted.

Lance blushed and squished Keith's head into his chest.

"Sleep."

That was a command.

Keith nuzzled his face in and inhaled Lance's warm scent. 

He'd had done it.

Lance had surpassed Legend.

Lance kissed Keith's head and Keith cried into Lance's chest, tears of joy.

Lance knew this and they laid in the warm bed holding onto each other but this time Keith didn't have to worry if the other would disappear.

Keith mumbled quietly into Lance's chest.

"Seriously Lance, thank you."


	20. Vibrato or My Heart?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vibrato - Shaking your fingers on the string to create a wobbly effect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I did tag it smut didn't I...*sigh* okay here you go...(I'm gonna regret this aren't I).
> 
> If you want to skip the smut I'll put a small underscore (___) before and after it happens. This chapter is 96% smut though so...

"Mullet, wake up"

Keith grumbled and opened his eyes blinking, "another nickname really?"

Keith stared at Lance who was smiling, teeth shining bright. His head laid on Lance's chest and he could hear Lance's heartbeat thumping, soothing him. Their body heat kept the two warm and Keith knew his hair was a mess, as Lance's was too.

Lance giggled and squashed Keith's head into his chest farther.

"Nice hair Keithyboy."

Lance ruffled Keith's hair and Keith scowled into Lance's shirt.

"Did you sleep well Newbie?"

"Are you gonna keep calling me stupid names?"

Lance poked his nose smiling when Keith lifted his head slightly.

Oh my God, he's so cute Keith thought.

"Time for breakfast mi amor."

Keith stunned only for a second stared up at Lance and then smiled, blushing.

"I can get behind that nickname."

Lance giggled and leaned down to kiss Keith quickly, Keith giggled.

Lance sat up and Keith followed his lead, Lance got out of the bed.

"Hunk, Pidge, and Shiro already went down like 5 minutes ago." Lance said rummaging in his suitcase.

"Oh...why didn't you wake me up." Keith stared at Lance's ass.

"I wanted to have that beautiful wake up face all to myself." Lance flipped around and smiled brightly, eyes shut.

"You're adorable" Keith breathed out.

Lance all of a sudden shy, giggled softly and went back to looking in his suitcase.

Keith resumed staring at Lance's butt, he had tight blue boxers on and from the way Lance was shaped Keith figured he regularly exercised.

I mean yeah, Keith had seen him shirtless and that boy had abs.

Lance turned around and smirked when he caught Keith staring.

"You know you don't have to stare anymore, if you want it you can have it. I am your boyfriend."

Keith liked the way the words slid off Lance's tongue so easily.

Boyfriend.

They were dating, the words seemed to fitting. Like they were always meant to be, like it was something even the universe wanted.

Keith realized Lance was waiting for an answer, Keith replied by turning redder than he already was.

"First of all I wasn't staring, second of all what do you mean anymore? Third of all it's too early for this shit."

Lance's face didn't falter though, instead he just stepped forward and then slowly reached over his head and took off his shirt.

"Oh okay my bad, so it won't bother you if I just undress right here?"

Keith visibly stared at Lance's tan chest and then looked up at a smirking Lance.

Keith was breathing quite heavily now and he felt strain in his shorts.

God, what the fuck Lance why are you so irresistible?

Lance stared at Keith not breaking eye contact and started to pull down his boxers gradually.

Keith turned around and looked out the window hoping to regain his composure.

He was just thinking about how Shiro must be enjoying a waffle downstairs while Lance tortured him upstairs, when all of a sudden he felt a sharp shock send itself through his entire body.  
___

Lance had his hand pressed firmly on the tent in Keith's shorts.

"Aaah Lance what are you-"

Lance smirked his boxers hung loosely on his waist just hauntingly hiding everything but showing enough to throw you off.

"If you're not in the mood, what's this?"

Lance pushed harder down and Keith felt the same shock tingle in all his limbs.

"Lance staa-hhp...we just started dating..."

Lance released the pressure a little.

"Doesn't matter, if we want to we can, also I seem to remember you grinding naked on me in the shower."

Keith blushed, oh my God he wanted to fuck Lance or get fucked by Lance. Either one sounded amazing, but he had to pretend that Lance wasn't as hot as he was.

"Do you want to?" Lance asked seductively.

Yes.

But all that came out of Keith's mouth was a small huff.

Lance released all pressure suddenly and when Keith looked up he saw Lance's face was sad.

"Sorry, I'm probably not someone you'd want to have sex with anyway, I mean look at me."

Lance laughed awkwardly. 

Keith stared up at him with a face that said WTF YOU SO FUCKING DUMB.

Keith suddenly grabbed Lance's hand and pulled him onto the bed, Lance fell on his back and Keith took this opportunity to straddle him.

"Okay no, I love you so much and yes I was staring and yes I wanna fuck you and yes I'm going to now."

Lance stared up at him eyes blinking rapidly on his red face.

"Fuck me then." 

His face changed and now he was smirking.

Keith tore his shirt off and threw it into the corner, Lance reached behind himself and closed the window curtains.

Keith started moving, grinding on Lance and the two simultaneously let out a moan. 

Lance leaned forward looking for Keith's mouth, but instead was pinned back down by his arms.

Keith bent down and kissed Lance hungrily, there was lust and passion driven in this kiss. It felt more like the one they'd shared in the hallway, then the one they'd had in the bathroom.

Lance licked at Keith's lips but Keith didn't budge.

"MMMNNGH!" 

Lance growled at Keith, but Keith didn't move. Lance could feel the smirk on Keith's lips. Lance scowled, he bit Keith just hard enough to make him gasp opening his mouth but not breaking the skin.

Keith's mouth was now open and Lance shoved his tongue inside, licking around at all the crevices and corners of Keith's mouth. 

Mmmm cinnamon, a husky rough flavor of Keith's wild side that Lance thoroughly enjoyed.

Lance's fingers were intertwined in Keith's hair now, as Keith had subconsciously let go of his wrists. He twisted his hands into his mullet tugging and pulling on his raven mop.

Keith fought Lance's tongue for dominance, pushing on him and trying to work his way into Lance's mouth.

Lance gave up and let his smaller boyfriend win, not to mention he wanted to feel Keith's tongue in his mouth.

It wasn't sloppy, it was warm and wet and steamy. 

Keith suddenly pulled away and lifted himself a little, tugging his shorts off, he through them onto the same spot his shirt was.

Lance looked at Keith and then spoke.

"So am I...or are you...?"

Keith smirked "both."

Lance looked confused as he stared up at Keith.

Keith found it quite cute.

Keith pulled Lance's boxers down until they sat relatively on Lance's ankles, he stared at Lance's dick.

Lance smirked.

Keith pulled his own underwear off and watched as Lance had the same reaction as Keith did.

Lance spoke up again "What about lube?" Keith leaned backwards a little and reached into the drawer of the nightstand and pulled out a bottle.

"What?!"

"Found it the first night, must've been left here by the last group."

Lance made a face.

"Ew that means we're fucking where they fucked."

Keith raised an eyebrow.

"They washed the sheets."

Lance made a face that seemed to read, did they really?

"Do you want me to stop then?" Keith's deadpanned, face clearly unammused.

"...no" Lance pouted, Keith smirked "hmm."

Keith poured some of the bottle's content on his fingers and slowly carefully slid one finger into Lance. With his other hand he stroked Lance's erection.

"Nnngh-aah-hhaa."

The sounds coming out of Lance's mouth were unholy and Keith loved it, he pumped his finger slowly into Lance. Moving his other hand up and down in time.

Keith picked up the pace and then pushed in a second finger, he watched Lance's face writhe with both pain and pleasure.

The way his eyes were squeezed shut, his mouth open just enough to let soft moans and heavy breaths escape his lips. His eyebrows pinched and the whole face almost made Keith cum untouched.

"Kee-iith" 

Keith smiled at the sound of his name, he pushed in a third finger and felt Lance's body shiver.

"Kee-iith please I need...nngh!"

Keith pulled all his fingers out and stopped touching Lance, who opened his eyes and looked up at Keith confused.

Keith backed up and then leaned over Lance, he held himself close to Lance and then kissed him. As he did so he pushed himself slowly into Lance, Lance moaned loudly into Keith's mouth.

Keith pulled apart when he was all the way in, Keith looked at Lance and stared innocently at him. Lance realized he was asking for permission.

"Move."

And at that Keith pulled almost all the way out for a split second and then slammed back into Lance.

Keith put his hand back around Lance's dick and caressed him, Lance moaned loudly. 

Keith thrust in and out of Lance sweat on his skin and huffing aggressively.

Lance shook he could feel every fiber of his being grow warm and he managed to whimper out "Keith I'm gonna-" 

Keith pulled out and with that stopped petting him, Lance looked up at him and watched as Keith straddled him again. He then sat up a bit and positioned himself over Lance's member, Keith looked at Lance again asking once more for permission. 

Lance nodded.

Keith sat down on slowly onto Lance who threw his head back, mouth agape at the sensation. When he looked up again he saw Keith's face and nearly died, he was making a face that Lance knew was riddled with agony and bliss. Lance savored the moment.

Keith lifted himself up again and then sat down faster this time, he did it again and Lance watched his face whimper. 

Lance reached out and grabbed Keith's member, he stroked it in rhythm with Keith's movements.

Both of the boys were so close and both of the boys were unable to say so. 

"Kee-iith I-I"

"Me too Lance-"

They both came almost unanimously and when they came down from their high shivering violently Keith flopped onto the bed.

"Oh my God." Lance's voice came out shaky.

"Yeah" Keith's the same way.

"The faces you make are so dirty " laughed Lance.

"Yeah well you should've seen yours" Keith shook his head.

___

Lance sat up and then leaned over and kissed Keith, the two still swimming in euphoria.

"Let's wash up then I think there's still a half hour till breakfast is over."

"Oh my gosh" Keith shook his head again but smiled too.

They got up and made their way to the bathroom to shower together...again.

After they had showered and gotten dressed in a quick 10 minutes, Keith stopped Lance before he opened the door.

Keith kissed him "I love you."

Lance kissed him back "I love you too."


	21. Legato

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Legato - Smooth and flowing, without pause.

"Fuckers, where the hell were you two?"

That was Pidge's greeting for Keith and Lance when they got downstairs to the breakfast area with 15 minutes left on the docket.

Keith blushed and ignored her comment, he went to go make himself a waffle.

Lance smiled "as I told you this morning, me and Keith are dating now. We were just taking our sweet time and enjoying this newfound feeling."

Pidge shook her head, Shiro smirked and then spoke "Ooooh tu amas a mi hermanoooo." Lance swatted at his head, blush dusting his cheeks.

Lance walked over to where Keith was and took a yogurt out from the mini fridge on the counter.

"Hey baby..."

Keith let out a small squeak and Lance tried not to giggle.

"eehhyeah?"

Keith's voice was small and unsure.

"Would you hold my hand so I can tell Hunk I've been touched by an angel?"

Lance didn't give him a chance to respond and instead smirked and walked back to the table, yogurt in hand.

"Ah...?" Keith was left stunned and firetruck red.

Shiro looked at Lance when he sat down in a chair across from him, he raised an eyebrow at Lance who was slurping his blueberry yogurt from the spoon obnoxiously.

"What'd you say to him?" Shiro looked at Keith who wobbled to the table and placed his waffle down, his red face silent.

"Utilicé una línea de recogida tonta." Lance smirked.

Shiro smiled "ha ha, él es tan rojo, aunque."

Lance switched back into English and proudly said "I know."

Keith frowned "Okay it is so not fair how you speak both Korean and Spanish and can just...UGH!" Keith stuck a finger out at Shiro, who only smirked on.

"진정해."

Keith huffed and took a bite of waffle.

"Hey Keith." Lance smiled and slurped another spoonful of yogurt.

"Hmm?" Keith hummed staring into the syrup pools on his waffle.

"If looks could kill, you'd be a weapon of mass destruction."

Keith flipped his head up and almost choked, he swatted at Lance.

"왜 왜 왜 왜 왜 왜 왜 왜 왜."

"Keith I can't understand youuuu!" Lance giggled dodging Keith's attacks.

Shiro pointed a fork at Lance "¿Vas a torturarlo así todo el día?"

Lance smiled widely "si!"

___________________________________

Stage two of the competition was in a few hours. 

Keith was in the bathroom combing back his hair and putting gel in it, the gel was a green substance branded with the name "food goo."

Lance was sitting on the edge of the tub behind Keith buttoning his shirt.

Hunk was trying to fine the currently missing left shoe of his formal pair.

Pidge was on her laptop playing slither.io under the name "paladin_of_the_green_snake."

Shiro was reattaching his prosthetic arm after he had taken it off due to chafing.

Lance tied his tie round his neck and then stood up and walked up behind Keith, he took the hair gel from him and instead scooped some out himself. Lance ran his hands through Keith's long hair letting his slender fingers mangle themselves into it. 

Keith shivered and Lance bent his head down and kissed Keith's neck softly. Keith could see him behind him in the mirror, Lance brought his head back up and stared into the mirror which made him stare into Keith's eyes.

Lance shuffled his hands through Keith's hair and Keith watched him, breath steadily increasing.

"Keith."

"Hmm?" 

Keith bit his lip and Lance silently thanked God for giving him this cute of a boyfriend.

"Do your feet hurt...?"

Keith raised an eyebrow "wha-"

"From running through my mind constantly."

Keith's face flushed and he buried it in his hands "gah Lance why are you doing this?"

Lance stepped in front of him and took Keith's hands off his face, "'cause you look cute when you're flustered." 

Lance kissed him and then smirked, he walked out leaving Keith to wallow in his embarrassment alone.

Ten minutes later they were all in the car and leaving the hotel's lot, for the second time.

Keith laid on his back, head in Lance's lap and sprawled out across the whole back seat. Technically he was still wearing his seat belt and so Shiro didn't say anything.

Lance put his hand on Keith's cheek and let his thumb stroke it, Keith closed his eyes and Lance looked out the window.

Lance smirked.

"Hey Keith?"

Keith groaned.

"Are you a parking ticket? ‘Cause you’ve got fine written all over you."

Keith frowned, eyes still shut, but his cheeks were red and Lance knew he felt something.

Hunk sat in front of the two.

"Lance, It's safe to say that out of all of us sitting here now, I've known you the longest. Meaning, I know that not once have you also blushed and smiled fondly when using those stupid pick up lines. I guess what I'm trying to say is you guys are adorable and I hope you get married one day." 

Pidge snorted from shotgun, "Hunk they've been dating for mayyybe a day."

Hunk smiled "I know but they pined for each other for like half a year!"

Lance smiled shyly from the back "thanks Hunk."

Hunk smiled and then turned back around, Lance looked down at Keith and saw him smiling sweetly, eyes closed.

Lance leaned down and kissed him softly.

___________________________________

Keith's hair was all mussed up again, Shiro had managed to keep the stupid tradition alive.

However this also meant everyone's hands were all sticky and gooey from the gel.

"Ha!" 

Keith shouted when Lance whined that he'd get goo on his violin.

Lance jumped forward and smothered greasy hands all over Keith's face.

"Ahhh whyyy!" A smile tugged on Keith's face though.

Lance poked him in the cheek and Keith giggled.

"Okay loverbirds we all are happy you two are no longer a pining mess but we also have about thirty minutes before we go on." Shiro said with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay okay, just one more thing... Keith!"

"Keith threw his head back and groaned loudly "Lance I swear-"

"You spend so much time in my mind, I should charge you rent."

Keith flushed but only frowned, he stood up and walked over to his stand, Lance giggled.

Pidge shot a look at Hunk that was a mix between what have we done and oh my God these two!

Hunk shot back a smile.

Shiro shook his head and then started nodding in time for the rhythm.

1, nod.

2, nod.

3, nod.

4, nod.

1, nod.

Music.

The large practice room exploded with sound. 

Keith noticed how when Lance played a crescendo his nose would scrunch, he thought that was cute.

Keith played on until about half-way through the piece when he saw a flicker of light out of the corner of his eye.

Huh?

Keith kept playing but moved his head slightly to look, and oh goodness. 

Right behind Hunk, as if radiating from him was a bright burst of yellow light.

Keith continued the piece and as he did he looked at the rest of them.

They all had a bright burst of light.

Lance, blue.

Pidge, green.

Shiro, black.

What was Keith's color?

What were the colors?

Keith suddenly remembered Legend's introduction many years ago.

"Hi I'm Legend, something cool about me? Uh...I like to give people colors, like colors that reflect them, like a light that shines who they are."

Keith suddenly shot back from the sudden flashback was now sweating, but he pressed on through the song.

"Keith."

Keith heard his name through the thick air, suddenly he couldn't hear anything. Nothing, it was soundless, but he must still be playing the song right because the group didn't seem to notice a difference.

It was absolutely silent, only one sound remained, the sound of his name being said quietly.

"Keith."

It was sad, a sort of quiet whimper, one that was barely there and one full of regret and remorse.

"Keith."

Keith got tired of hearing his name, he spoke hoping that the group wouldn't hear him. They didn't, it was like he wasn't there.

"Yes?"

He heard a sigh, "Keith it's me."

Keith knew that voice, he'd heard it countless times before.

"I love you."

"STOP FUCKING CRYING!"

"There, on your waist."

"No, you should not."

"What a pathetic excuse for a man."

Of course this time none of those things were said, this time they sounded different. Keith's voice cracked when it came out, small and shaky.

"Legend."

He could hear Legend sigh, and then he walked out from behind Hunk's bright yellow light. He walked over to Keith and smiled at him, he still looked fourteen but his voice made him sound older. As if he had time to think and was much wiser now.

Keith felt tears on his eyes there were so many things he wanted to say to him.

"Ha ha look how old you are, you're super hot now!" Legend smiled and laughed awkwardly. Keith didn't find it the least bit funny, he thought it was clearly inappropriate the way Legend was acting after all he'd done to him, but he smiled and laughed too.

Keith smiled sadly and then said "but you're not real."

Legend mirrored Keith's face "not anymore."

Keith felt tears roll down his cheeks but he made no effort to wipe them away.

"Talk to me, I know there are things you want to say."

Keith looked at his tan curly hair, his slightly pale skin, his stark gold eye, he smiled.

"Yeah there's a lot I want to say."

Legend bit his lip and looked at Keith, sadness in his eyes.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

Keith looked him in the eyes, he looked at Legend for a minute and then smiled sorrowfully, his face tearstreaked.

"I know." Keith looked at him, he put his violin down and cupped Legend's now crying face with his hands.

"I really did love you Keith."

Keith squished his cheeks, tears falling steadily. "I loved you more Legend."

"I'm sorry for everything I did, I ruined your life, I took away everything, I left you traumatized, I killed myself."

Keith should've been the one screaming these things in agony at Legend but here he was apologizing truthfully for all the shit he put Keith through.

Keith hugged him and Legend gripped his shirt.

"I'm sooo sorrry!" 

Legend was full on wailing and crying now and Keith had to remind himself that he was still fourteen.

"I know."

Legend pulled apart and wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"I know you and Lance will have a better relationship than we did, and I'm glad you found someone. I don't think your pathetic, I don't want those to be the last words from me anymore."

Keith stared at Legend smiling wistfully, tears still rolling.

"So let these be the last words that ring instead of my mistake of a goodbye...I...love you Keith."

Legend reached forward and held Keith's face, he kissed him on the forehead and then slowly stepped back. Crying, he disappeared and left Keith disoriented and confused.

Keith realized his eyes were closed so he opened them, he was holding his violin and still playing, he was two seconds from the end.

It ended.

Keith stared at Lance who he most definitely associated with the color blue. Lance noticed Keith and smiled, Keith smiled back.

"Hey Keith!"

"Lance if it's another pick-up line-"

"I love you."

Keith stared at Lance a bit surprised, he smiled.

"I love you more."

More than Legend.

Legend wasn't real anymore, he was gone. Legend came back to say goodbye properly, that was goodbye and this?

This was hello, with someone new.

Someone better.

Someone better for Keith.

For Keith.

Not for Legend.

Keith.

Keith and Lance.

"I love you most."


	22. Fine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fine - Pronounced Feen-ay, it means the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has been supporting me through it all, i appreciate every single one of you! It was over so fast and I thank all those that stuck around. I decided to write this because I have been going through some dark times, and I didn't know what to expect. But honestly, every comment I received was positive, and you guys LITERALLY made my day. So...THANK YOU VERY MUCH! I would like to write another fic soon, I already have a great idea. I'll probably make it have longer chapters and maybe only two updates a week. I'll probably take a break for a bit, as the end of the school year is quite busy for me right now and I'm working a lot. But seriously thanks to all who believed in me <3 Hopefully see you guys soon! -Blue

Keith stood next to Lance quietly, viola tucked neatly under his arm.

Here he was standing once more on side waiting for Shiro's cue to go on, but this time he felt calm.

Maybe it was because they had already passed stage one.

Maybe it was because Lance was standing next to him as his boyfriend and not just a friend.

Maybe it was because Legend was no longer constantly on his mind.

Maybe it was because of all these things.

Keith smiled.

Lance looked over at him and smiled too.

"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?" Lance smirked

"You" Keith bluntly replied.

Lance turned a bright shade of red, and Keith looked up at him with a smirk to view his work.

That was it.

That was his color.

Red.

Keith liked it, how he could make Lance blush, he giggled.

Lance poked his cheek, "you're adorable."

Shiro caught a glimpse of the two and smiled.

Here was his emotionally distraught brother who wouldn't open up to anyone for a almost a decade, being all cutesy with the first person that's mattered more than him after everything.

Shiro could feel tears in his eyes, he was so proud of him. Keith had come so far, and most was done on his own.

Shiro looked up at the clock counting down above the stage door.

5

4

3

2

1

Shiro took a deep breath and then turned to nod at the group, they all smiled and Shiro winked.

"We're..." Pidge whispered.

"Gonna..." Hunk followed.

"Kick..." Shiro caught on.

"Some..." Lance smirked.

"Ass." Keith finished.

"Which speaking of ass, yours is pretty great Keithy." Lance smirked.

"Aaaand we're on" Shiro rolled his eyes and at that they shut there mouths and walked on looking very professional. No one would've suspected that Lance had grabbed Keith's ass quickly before going on.

Keith took his place across from Lance who subtly sent him a small wink.

Keith hinted at a smile, he turned and looked at Shiro who was sitting on the piano bench once more.

Shiro nodded, Keith looked back at his music and telepathically they all counted in sync.

1

2

3

4

1

Bam!

Keith couldn't even help himself this time, he was smiling so wide.

He could feel everything pounding through him, like the music was injected straight into his veins.

The notes rang clear through him, he could hear and feel everything, like he was connected to his viola.

Keith swayed more with the sound, he didn't dare look elsewhere from the sheet music. Afraid that if he did he wouldn't feel this amazing anymore, but his brain didn't cooperate and his eyes caught a glimpse of the crowd.

A toothy grin amidst a sea of plastered expressions.

But just as soon as he was there he was gone, Keith smiled and then looked at Lance, no longer worried.

Lance caught his eye and smiled brightly squishing his eyes shut for a moment.

Keith stuck his tongue out at him and Lance winked, smirk visible.

Keith looked at Hunk who sent him a soft smile, what a cinnamon roll.

Then Pidge who crossed her eyes smiling, Keith tried not to laugh.

Finally he looked at Shiro, who beamed a content smile at him. Keith knew he was proud, he was too.

Keith smiled again, God look at him, he got all sappy this year.

He looked back at his stand and realized his music had flown off of it, it was at his feet. Yet somehow he hadn't noticed he had just continued playing correctly.

Keith had memorized music before, not to mention he'd heard this song a billion times before. As his brother wrote it, and they'd practiced it multiple times before.

Keith panicked only for a second before he regained himself, he closed his eyes feeling the music once more.

He was fine, he opened his eyes and looked at Lance, Lance's eyes flicked down and stared at Keith's music on the floor.

Lance smirked, and then carefully as to not knock over the stand he tapped the base of it and let his music float down.

Keith cocked his head inconspicuously, Lance faintly nodded his head toward Pidge.

Pidge looked at Keith and then reading the situation smirked and with her elbow swished her music off the stand as well.

What were they doing?

Hunk saw what they were doing and rolled his eyes, but he too smirked and then quickly at a rest swiped his music onto the ground.

Shiro catching a glimpse of Hunk's music falling joined in by using one hand to wave his off.

Keith remembered something Shiro had said to him once. 

"Music is a game, when it is written down you have the instructions, but at some point one can play the game without reading the instructions. No one plays a game a thousand times, but also reads the instructions every time, it's unnecessary."

Keith looked back at Lance who smirked, they were more together surprisingly.

It was like they had all torn down their walls and let everyone walk freely between each other.

In the heat of battle, you keep your allies close.

In the middle of a performance, you keep your partners close.

Here was Keith, walls down, completely vulnerable, and yet better than ever. 

Keith could feel the ending coming quick, except this time he had no doubt that they would end together.

They all stared at each other and smiled knowing they would be fine.

And they were.

Keith stared at the group, they were all set up the same way. Bows just hovering above the string and arms extended.

1

2

3

They put down their arms.

Silence.

Shiro stood up, and simultaneously Hunk, Pidge, Lance, and Keith turned and faced the crowd smiling.

The crowd erupted, people stood up cheering and clapping. Beaming they all took a bow and then followed Shiro off the stage to the booming sounds of a satisfied crowd.

Lance was the first to speak once out in the hallway, he laughed "ahhhh that was a disaster!" 

Keith giggled "yeah why'd you guys all throw your music off the stand after mine flew off?"

Lance smiled and stepped closer, he brought a hand up and tipped Keith's chin up so he was looking at Lance in anticipation.

"It's a thing we used to do in middle school, if someone's music fell off we'd all kick ours off."

"Wait so then how'd Shiro know?"

Shiro spoke up "I didn't, I just noticed a pattern and followed suit."

Keith raised an eyebrow "that kinda attitude is gonna get you in trouble someday."

Shiro smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

Keith turned his head and looked back at Lance, who smirked and leaned down to plant a kiss on his lips.

"You looked brilliant out there, like you were having the time of your life."

"I was."

"Thought so."

Lance kissed him again, but this time Keith pecked him on the nose after.

Pidge rolled her eyes "ewww."

Hunk elbowed her, Keith laughed and Lance poked his cheek.

"Hey you too lovebirds, we've got about half an hour 'till they announce the winner. Wanna go grab some food for us and bring it back real quick?" Shiro tossed his keys at Lance, who nodded grabbing Keith's hand.

"They're so cute." Hunk warmly said when they left.

"I'm so proud of them." Shiro smiled at Hunk.

"Unnnghh!" Pidge grumbled as she left the room where Shiro and Hunk giggled.

___________________________________

"TE AMOOOOOO MI AMOOOOORR!"

Keith was face palming in the shotgun seat of Shiro's stupid Jeep, because his cute boyfriend was singing him a made up song in Spanish.

Lance was thrashing around in the drivers seat making awkward faces and dumb expressions and trying his best to make his adorable boyfriend laugh.

"MI BEBEEEEEE ERESSS MIOOOO!"

Keith finally cracked a smile, "GOD STOP IT! I love you too damn, at least roll up the windows!"

Lance smiled "NEVAAAH!"

Keith shook his head.

"Also I thought you liked my Spanish...?"

"I do...just not your crude Spanish that's only being spoken to embarrass me."

Lance giggled "but you're cute when you're embarrassed."

Keith stared at Lance, his mouth formed a small "o" shape, his cheeks glowing red.

Lance turned his head for a moment and then looked back at the road "see look how cute that is."

Keith smiled "오 세상에, 널 사랑해."

Lance looked at him confused "what'd you say?"

"때로는 아프다."

"Keith."

"내가 널 너무 사랑하기 때문이야."

"What'd you sayyyy!?" 

Lance whined and Keith only smirked "cutie."

Lance blushed "I'd kiss you but I'm driving."

Keith leaned over and kissed his cheek, despite being in a jeep with a bunch of Mcnugget packages strewn all over his lap, Keith was happy.

___________________________________

"Bruh we totally deserve the win." Pidge said with a mouthful of chicken nugget and french fry.

"I mean the other groups were pretty good too Pidge, did you hear BOM College?" Hunk chimed in.

"Pssh yeah they were good but they seemed kind of hesitant." Shiro piped up.

Keith smiled, he remembered he'd played against them in a high school contest with the whole school orchestra and they had creamed them.

Keith was currently sitting in Lance's lap, and Lance was enjoying the warm body heat and the rhythmic sound of his heart beating. Lance was done eating, so he wiped his hands with a napkin and then played with the hair that hung on Keith's neck contently, Keith hummed.

They all sat quietly in the practice room finished with their dinner and exhausted.

The intercom beeped and a bored sounding old lady spoke over the building "remaining groups please head back to the stage, the winning school has been chosen."

They all stood up and brushed themselves off, Lance fixed Keith's hair and Keith did the same for Lance.

They all smiled and walked out the room down the hall, totally confident. If not first place, they would definitely get second or third. Not that they'd win anything, just satisfaction that they weren't last.

Lance held Keith's hand as they walked onto the stage.

They stood in a line with the other groups.

A different person this time stood up from the judges table, stage two was with the big guns. She was a young looking woman and when she spoke, you knew she meant business.

"Starting from the last place team and working our way to first place, number twelve "Balmeran Seminary."

Keith zoned out as the woman continued to speak, they were getting closer to first place and they still hadn't been called.

Keith felt giddy and he knew Lance was too, because Lance's hand shook in his and a smile was present on his face.

The monotone voice resurfaced again "third place goes to Olkari College"

The only two groups left were them and BOM, Keith wanted to jump up and down. 

"Second place goes to..."

Time slowed down, Keith bent forward and looked left at Pidge who smirked.

Please BOM, BOM, BOM.

"Blade Of Marmora Institute."

Lance looked at Keith with a smile so wide it looked like it might break his face.

"And finally first place goes to Garrison University."

This time Keith did jump up and down, they all smiled and Lance kissed him swiftly. To hell with looking unprofessional they just won the 2018 Altean Orchestra Competition!

Shiro bowed for the group and then walked down to the table, the rest of the group followed. 

They all shook hands with the judges and then the woman presented Shiro with a cool looking trophy that was mainly glass. 

"Well done." The lady smiled at Keith, who only smiled back shyly in return.

Shiro carried the award as they all walked back on stage and together all the groups took a bow for the cheering crowd.

___________________________________

They were back in the hotel room and Keith was currently curled up in Lance's arms on their bed. Lance had the TV on and was watching Paw Patrol, Pidge sat next to him cradling their trophy. 

Shiro turned off the TV.

"SHIROOO I WAS WATCHING THAAAT!" 

Shiro raised an eyebrow at Lance, who just huffed.

"We promised to tell Coran if we won, let's face time him right now."

"Fine."

Hunk stood up from his position on the couch and sat on the other side of Lance.

Shiro pulled his phone out and called Coran.

"ELLO MY AMAZING STUDENTS!" Coran's cheery voice exploded through Shiro's phone speaker "DIDJA WIIIN!?"

"HELL YEAH WE DID!" Pidge screeched jumping up and squishing the trophy into the phone's camera.

"WAIT REALLY!? SWEET GRAVY, GOOD JOB I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!" Coran beamed.

Lance, Keith, and Hunk smiled "thanks Coran" Keith spoke.

"Yeah, I mean we did have an amazing teacher!" Lance flattered.

"Aww, you guysss..." There was screaming coming from the other end and Shiro raised an eyebrow.

"What's happening over there?" 

Coran winced, "Ahhh Allura came over to ask for a book and Ren is crying."

"Really!?" Shiro brightened, Keith smiled."

Lance sent a look toward Keith "he was a family friend of Allura's, kinda like her cool uncle." Lance nodded in sudden understanding.

"Allura, your husband facetimed me!" Coran shouted.

Allura suddenly appeared holding Ren "hi honey, how'd it go?"

"It was good, we won! Ah...sorry for leaving almost right after Ren was born. I love you!"

A lot was crammed into that sentence and Allura just laughed "it's fine, he's been relatively good." She frowned and poked him in the nose. "I love you too!"

Keith smiled at Ren who was reaching for Shiro through the phone.

Lance kissed Keith's ear "I see you smiling, you totally think Ren's adorable."

"Well duh, look at him!" Keith shivered.

Lance laughed and hugged Keith tighter.

Shiro said goodbye to Allura, Ren, and Coran. He laid down on the other bed and soon fell asleep.

Hunk laid at the edge of the bed and scrolled through social media on his phone.

Pidge turned paw patrols back on and continued clutching the trophy.

Keith buried his face into Lance's collar and Lance cradled him in his arms almost.

Lance looked down at Keith "Keith from the first day I met you, I knew you were the start of something."

"Cheesy." 

Lance could feel Keith's grin through his shirt.

"I know." 

Keith was about to kiss Lance's neck, but Lance caught him and bent his head down, kissing him on the lips.

Keith blushed, Lance smirked.

"You play me like a viola."

Lance giggled.

"You play me like a violin."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I was writing the on stage scene with Legend sitting in the crowd, I was getting some Your Lie In April vibes...I'm sorry...
> 
> Okay be real guys, if I made a Twitter and/or Instagram to post art (I'm a decent artist, and I would totally love for you guys to send me stuff), or announcements for future projects or updates. Would you follow it? I mean...If you guys wanted to make art...or something...I thought that'd be really cool...
> 
> But again thanks for the support! <3 Much Love goes to all who encouraged me and enjoyed the story!


End file.
